PCC says role is 'key for scrutiny of police'

Emily Spurrell has been Merseyside's police and crime commissioner since 2021

Merseyside's police and crime commissioner has said many members of the public are still unaware of what the role involves but are "pleasantly surprised" when they hear about what work is being done.

Labour’s Emily Spurrell won a second term with 152,640 votes at the recent local elections, but only 24% of the region's electorate turned out for the poll.

Ms Spurrell said the post was key “in terms of scrutiny and oversight of the police”.

However, she admitted “turnout wasn’t great, but I’m sure that was the case across the country”.

Since 2012, people have been able to vote for politicians to take on the role of police and crime commissioner (PCCs) across most of England and Wales.

They are responsible for how an area is policed, budgeting and the appointment and dismissal of a chief constable.

Ms Spurrell said: “When we brief people and present on the work my office is doing, people are pleasantly surprised about how much is going on, but clearly that message isn’t out there to the public yet."

There have been discussions about whether the role, which comes with a nearly £90,000 salary, could change.

“What we want is a role or a structure that provides sufficient oversight and governance of policing,” Ms Spurrell told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

“We’ve always had it, whether it’s the police authority, the PCC or deputy mayor.”

'Closer working'

Mayors in Greater London, Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire also hold the responsibilities of a PCC, with some commentators suggesting the role should be folded in to the metro mayor responsibilities.

To do so in Merseyside though would require an act of parliament, given the Liverpool City Region contains Halton, which falls under the Cheshire Constabulary boundaries.

Ms Spurrell said she felt there was value for the region in the role.

She said: “There’s no short term answer to this, I think it’s a rolling piece of work.

"There’s work we want to do locally in terms of what I’m doing in Merseyside, but I also think it’s about the national conversation and if we do get a change of government what will that look like?"

Ms Spurrell added: “I have no problem with a discussion around whether this role should be merged with the [Liverpool City Region] mayor.”

But addressing whether it could save costs – as the PCC’s office takes more than £250,000 a year in salaries alone – she said: “I just don’t think it’s fair to say we’d make a tonne of savings… but there may be efficiencies or closer working, like we’ve seen in Manchester, that we could do.”