FOI release

Purpose of PCC elections

Published 26 November 2012

© Crown copyright 2012

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cost-and-purpose-of-pcc-elections/cost-and-purpose-of-pcc-elections

We have received a request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 for the following: 

Please provide the following information on the police and crime commissioner elections:
Please give full details of why this is being done. My local police service is facing severe cut backs. How will this election improve the service which I pay my taxes for?
    
We released the following information on 26 November 2012.

Police and crime commissioners (PCCs) are the most significant democratic reform of policing in our lifetime.

  • they will work with the police to cut crime, give the public a voice at the highest level, hold forces to account and help restore trust
  • the former police authorities are invisible and unaccountable, while exercising significant powers over force budgets and strategic control
  • PCCs are a key component of a comprehensive plan to fight crime. This is part of our programme to devolve power and responsibility to decentralise government in those areas where the professionals and the public should be in the driving seat * nearly a third of the elected PCCs are independents * only 7% of the public are aware that they can go to their police authority if they are unhappy with their policing (Cabinet Office Research 2007)
  • only 8% of wards in England and Wales have a councillor on their police authority (Home Office Research 2009)

PCCs will:

  • be directly accountable to the public and subject to on-going public scrutiny
  • have the democratic mandate to respond to local people’s concerns
  • set local force’s policing priorities and their local police force budget
  • work with local partners to prevent crime
  • hold their Chief Constable to account for the performance of the force
  • appoint, and where necessary dismiss, the Chief Constable
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