The UK government’s decision to abolish Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) by 2028 marks one of the biggest governance shifts in modern policing. The news explained what is happening and when, but it left a far more important question unresolved: who actually takes over the power to run policing once PCCs disappear?
This analysis breaks down the unanswered core issue — the transfer of power — and explains how police oversight, budget control, and chief constable appointments will work under the new system.
Why This Is the Big Unanswered Question
For most people, PCCs existed quietly in the background. Many voters didn’t fully understand what commissioners did — and that limited awareness is precisely why their abolition raises confusion now. Once PCCs are gone, who becomes legally responsible for hiring chief constables? Who approves budget decisions? Who sets policing priorities?
The news reports mention mayors and new “policing boards,” but leave the mechanics vague. These responsibilities are not symbolic. They determine how policing is funded, governed, and held accountable. That makes the “who’s in charge now?” question the single most important point the public needs answered.
The Critical Governance Questions Left Unanswered
The announcement explained the headline change but didn’t offer clarity on several critical governance gaps:
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The exact legal mechanism that transfers PCC powers
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The difference between areas with mayors and those without
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How chief constable appointments will work
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What happens in regions where boundaries don’t align
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How oversight panels will change
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What model Wales might adopt
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How budgeting authority is reassigned
These gaps matter because PCC powers are not ceremonial. They involve statutory responsibilities created under the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011, and transferring them is not automatic — it requires legislation, defined structures, and clear chains of accountability.
This analysis addresses those gaps.
The Deeper Context Behind the Power Transfer
1. The Legal Foundation
The abolition requires reassigning the statutory duties set out in the 2011 Act. Those duties include:
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Appointing and dismissing chief constables
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Setting police budgets and council tax precepts
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Defining local policing priorities
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Managing victims’ services
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Overseeing community safety partnerships
The government’s vehicle for this transition is the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (2025), which sets the conditions under which regional mayors inherit PCC functions.
2. Mayors vs. Local Boards
If a mayor’s boundary matches the police force boundary, the mayor becomes the new policing authority by law.
If the boundaries do not align, a policing and crime board chaired by local leaders takes responsibility.
This means England will end up with two parallel governance models, depending on local geography — a feature that was not fully explained in the initial reports.
3. Wales as a Special Case
Policing is not devolved in Wales, but fire and rescue services are, creating a constitutional mismatch.
Because of this, the UK and Welsh governments must jointly design a bespoke oversight model — almost certainly different from England’s.
4. Shift Toward Integrated Governance
PCCs were removed partly because police governance had drifted away from other public services influencing crime, such as housing, health, and social care.
Mayoral systems are designed to re-link policing with those wider services.
This is a policy pivot back toward integrated local governance, reversing the more isolated oversight structure created in 2012.
What Independent Experts Typically Say About Governance Transitions Like This
While experts have not yet opined specifically on the abolition itself, analysts generally note several consistent themes when major public oversight structures are replaced:
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Consolidation often increases clarity
When the public elects a single, high-profile figure — such as a mayor — accountability is easier to trace. -
Shifts in appointment powers can reshape policing culture
Legal scholars often point out that whoever appoints the chief constable wields the most meaningful influence over the force’s direction. -
Transparent budgeting becomes more important
Financial analysts typically highlight that transferring budget authority requires safeguards to prevent political distortion or service gaps during transition. -
Interim periods can be messy without clear statutory guidance
Administrative transitions often create ambiguity unless legislation spells out precise responsibilities, timelines and reporting structures. -
Local differences create uneven outcomes
When governance varies by region — as England/Wales arrangements now will — experts usually warn that accountability structures can become inconsistent across the country.
These themes help explain why many observers immediately asked what the new system will actually look like — because experiences from previous governance transitions show these details matter more than the headline reform.
What Happens Next
A Transition From 2025 to 2028
Between now and 2028:
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PCCs remain in office until their term ends.
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Legislation must be finalized to legally transfer powers.
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Local areas must decide whether their geography qualifies for mayoral oversight.
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New scrutiny panels must be designed to replace PCC panels.
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Wales must create its own accountability model.
Chief Constable Appointments
Once PCCs are abolished:
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Mayors will gain appointment powers where boundaries align.
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Policing and crime boards will take those powers elsewhere.
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Chief constables will remain operationally independent, as required by law.
Budgets and Police Funding
Budget-setting authority also transfers, including:
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Allocation of annual funding
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Setting police precepts through council tax
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Managing Home Office grants
Public Impact
Residents will not notice immediate operational changes, but governance will feel different:
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Accountability becomes more visible (mayors) in some areas
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More committee-led in others (boards)
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Wales will adopt a unique model
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Fire and rescue oversight will merge with policing where applicable
The transition is administrative rather than operational — but its implications for leadership, budgeting, and local priorities are significant.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who will control policing once PCCs are abolished?
In areas with elected mayors whose boundaries match the police force area, the mayor assumes control. Everywhere else will shift to a local policing and crime board.
Who will appoint chief constables after 2028?
Mayors will appoint chief constables in aligned regions, while local boards will do so in non-mayoral areas. Operational independence remains a legal requirement.
Will the public vote for policing leaders again?
Only in mayoral areas. Where boards replace PCCs, police oversight will be managed by local leaders rather than direct public election.
What happens to police budgets during the transition?
Budget authority shifts to mayors or local boards. Council tax precepts and central government grants continue but will be approved under the new structures.
Will policing in Wales follow the same model?
No. Wales requires a separate arrangement because of its devolved fire and rescue structure. The UK and Welsh governments will develop this together.
Does this change how frontline policing works?
No. Operational duties stay with police forces. The reform affects governance, not everyday policing.
