The Home Secretary has agreed to proceed with plans for the powers of the PCC to be transferred to the West Midlands Mayor after the May election.
The West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, Simon Foster, has the following statement:
“I deeply disagree with the Mayor’s hostile takeover, because firstly, he is abolishing people’s right to vote, so that he can appoint one of his friends to the role instead; secondly, preventing, tackling and reducing crime will not be his top priority, and thirdly, this is a cynical and divisive power grab, that is in no-one’s interests save that of the Mayor.
“The Mayor has made this decision, because his party have stood for election to the role of Police and Crime Commissioner four times and been defeated every time. That is because his party is not trusted by the people of the West Midlands to prevent, tackle and reduce crime.
“The Mayor represents a government that has inflicted immense damage on policing, essential preventative public services and our criminal justice system for the past 13 years. That has contributed to a rise in crime. The last thing the people I represent need is an apologist for this government’s appalling record on policing, taking on responsibility for policing governance.
“There is no local democratic support for this cynical and divisive power grab. The Mayor is attempting to achieve through the backdoor what his Party has been incapable of achieving through the ballot box.
“I say to Mayor Street: You still have an opportunity to put it to the people. Here is my challenge. Have the courage, the integrity and the principles – to put it to the people. Let the people decide, who they want to represent them as their Police and Crime Commissioner at the election in May 2024.
“Let it be the people’s Vote: the People’s Choice and the People’s decision.”
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