The leaders of all four Humber-area councils have written to the Home Secretary
The leaders of all four councils on either side of the Humber have welcomed the abolition of the Humberside Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC). PCCs across England and Wales are to be abolished when their terms end in 2028.
The move was announced by the Government last month. Humberside PCC Jonathan Evison (Conservative) has stated he and his office will continue to deliver on its Police and Crime Plan and hold Humberside Police’s Chief Constable to account until 2028.
A letter sent to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood earlier this month by four council leaders welcomes the role’s abolition. Cllr Mike Ross (Liberal Democrat – Hull City Council), Cllr Anne Handley (Conservative – East Riding), Cllr Philip Jackson (Conservative – North East Lincolnshire), and Cllr Rob Waltham (Conservative – North Lincolnshire), have signed the letter.
It expresses their “sincere thanks” for the announcement, adding: “We welcome this decision and share your ambition to strengthen local accountability and deliver improved outcomes for our communities.”
The council leaders state they have met to discuss the implications. They are “committed to working collaboratively to ensure a smooth and effective transition”.
The letter proposes a joint committee with representatives from each of the councils to plan the post-PCC future. “This committee would work closely with your department and relevant stakeholders to oversee the transition process.
“We believe this approach will provide a strong foundation for delivering your ambition and maintaining public confidence throughout the transition.” At this month’s Humberside Police and Crime Panel meeting, the mood was decidedly different over the abolition of the PCC.
Mr Evison said the announcement was “completely out of the blue”, and owing to a prior commitment, he ended up not attending a short notice virtual meeting and found out by WhatsApp message from a colleague. Chair Cllr John Davison (Conservative – North Lincolnshire) said he recently went to a meet-up of the national body for chairs of police and crime panels.
“Universally, they thought this was terrible. They were equally shocked at the notice.”
The panel heard that staff from the Office for Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) are working with the Home Office to work out transition arrangements. PCC Evison also said he and his office will continue to carry out its work over the remaining term.
It is currently uncertain what will replace the PCC. However, the panel were advised it is likely to be a board of between four and 11 members, involving representation from the different councils in the Humber region, the two regional Mayors, and up to two co-opted members.
This would then appoint a local policing lead. The PCC role cannot be easily absorbed into the remit of a new Mayor.
This is because Humberside Police’s geographic area does not match up with that of a single Mayor. Instead, it overlaps across Luke Campbell (Reform UK – Mayor of Hull and East Riding) and Dame Andrea Jenkyns’ (Reform UK – Mayor of Greater Lincolnshire) electoral boundaries.
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