The Mayor isn’t up for the job of overseeing our police force, we need to provide accountability to residents

From 2028, the role of police and crime commissioners (PCC) across England and Wales will be scrapped. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said PCCs had been a “failed experiment” and police would instead be accountable to their local mayors or councils.

Whitehall officials said the move – which will mean Merseyside’s incumbent Emily Spurrell losing her job – could save around £100m. Metro Mayor Mr Rotheram could be the man to take on the additional powers in two years’ time.

However, Cllr Richard Kemp and the opposition Liberal Democrats have issued a strong rebuke to such an idea and called for a new committee instead. The role of PCC was introduced by the Conservatives in 2012 and meant all 43 police forces covering local areas across England and Wales had to answer to an elected official.

The system was introduced to boost accountability and performance of police forces. The PCC does not have responsibility for day-to-day deployment and delivery of police services or investigating complaints against officers below the rank of chief constable.

As a result of the decision, this would pass down powers to the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’s (LCRCA) Metro Mayor.

Cllr Kemp has written to Cabinet ministers calling for a new Merseyside Police Authority made up of representatives of the five local councils on Merseyside, rather than Mr Rotheram taking on the role – similar to Greater Manchester.

The former Lord Mayor said: “Police and Crime Commissioners have been a complete failure and it’s for the best that Labour are scrapping them. They were confusing, costly, and next to impossible to scrutinise properly – that’s why we’ve long sought their abolition. So now we need to find a new way to move forward.

“A way that will provide accountability to our residents and drive forward new ideas and innovation in Merseyside Police. Frankly, the Metro Mayor isn’t up for the job; he’s spent most of the last two years arguing that a bendy bus is actually not a trackless tram.”

Cllr Kemp said a new committee would be a “more democratic and accountable approach” than the Metro Mayor adding to his workload. The veteran councillor added: “At the end of the day, policing requires the trust of the community, and trust is only developed through being out there working hard for people. Frankly, there’s only one metro mayor.

“How on earth is he expected to know what’s happening in every corner of the county? He can’t, but as councillors, we already are. Giving the PCC powers to the Mayor just isn’t going to change anything – it doesn’t bring policing closer to our communities, it still keeps it at arm’s length.”

A spokesperson for the the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority said it was working with the government to look at how the model where oversight powers held by Metro Mayors would be applied here.

A Liverpool City Region Labour source issued a fiery rebuke to Cllr Kemp’s suggestion. They said: “The model he’s attacking already works in places like Greater Manchester, London and West Yorkshire. It gives people a clear, visible leader they can hold to account.

“What he’s proposing – spreading responsibility for 1.6 million people across 10 or 15 councillors – is completely unworkable, and would take us back to the very system that previously lacked accountability and public trust. Let’s not forget – it was the Lib Dem-Tory coalition that introduced PCCs in the first place.

“It’s at least good to see Councillor Kemp getting behind a Labour government reversing this policy from his party’s time in government. Steve Rotheram has a track record of delivery: taking buses back into public control, introducing state-of-the-art new trains, freezing fares, creating thousands of jobs and apprenticeships, and building thousands of homes.

“That’s what real leadership looks like – not just carping from the sidelines.”