'Scrapping PCCs is not about saving money'

Ben Adams said he did not think the changes were about saving money

Staffordshire's police, fire and crime commissioner (PCC) has said that the decision to scrap the role is about "centralising policing", and not saving money.

"It's about centralising policing, taking more of it back into the government, into Home Office, and that's at the expense of local priorities," Conservative PCC Ben Adams told the BBC.

However, the government has stressed the decision to get rid of the role in England and Wales would save £100m, over this parliament's term.

When the commissioners' terms end in 2028 the role will move to an elected mayor or to council leaders.

The Home Office has said the last PCC elections in 2024 cost at least £87m, making up a significant portion of the savings expected through scrapping the 37 roles across England and Wales.

Scrapping the role would allow for an extra £20m of investment in front-line policing every year, it added, enough for 320 constables.

"The savings from Home Office, that £100m they talked about, £87m of that is on the basis of having elections not lined up with others," said Adams.

"Most of my colleagues and myself would be quite happy for commissioners' elections to have been lined up with local council elections, [which] could've saved all that money."

Policing minister Sarah Jones told the Commons the cash would be returned to the Treasury, whereas the cost of running the PCCs' offices themselves will be retained by the Home Office and invested in policing.

'Potential for bureaucratic delay'

Adams said he had been "comfortable" preparing his team for a move to mayoralties, but was concerned about the "fudge in between".

"It's this three, possibly four years, where Staffordshire are going to have to go through two transitions, one from me to a board and then on to a mayor," he said.

"Both the board and the mayor will have to appoint somebody with my sort of executive capabilities, have a team to look after victims, look after those we support, victims of domestic abuse et cetera.

"So there won't be much money to be saved there, but there will be the potential for a bureaucratic delay."

Chris Noble, chief constable of Staffordshire Police, was suspended in August

Under the changes, measures to cut crime would be "considered as part of wider public services", including education and healthcare.

The government would ensure support services for victims and witnesses currently provided by PCCs would continue, the Home Office said.

Adams added the decision was "extremely serious" for local accountability and he plans to write to the home secretary, to ask her to consider changing the law.

'In interest of residents'

The force's leadership has faced scrutiny recently - Staffordshire's chief constable, Chris Noble, is currently suspended, while an Independent Office for Police Conduct investigation is carried out.

On 19 November, the High Court ruled that Adams' decision to recruit a temporary chief constable was unlawful.

Acting Chief Constable Rebecca Riggs is continuing to lead the force.

The judge accepted Adams had sought advice from relevant bodies, including the Home Office, but the advice he could carry out the process was wrong in law.

Adams said the decision was "very much in the interest of Staffordshire residents".

"I did not appoint a temporary chief constable, I sought to recruit a temporary one, but I didn't go through with the recruitment process," he said.

"I wanted to seek out the very best interim I could that was out there at the time and prepared to step in here in Staffordshire."