POLICE and Crime Commissioners’ roles will be abolished at the end of their terms in 2028,  the government announced today. Their powers will be transferred to regional mayors or policing and crime boards of local council leaders.

Policing minister Sarah Jones told the Commons that the model, which was introduced in November 2012, has “failed to live up to expectations” by failing to increase accountability or build a greater connection between policing and local communities.

“The reality is that the PCC model has weakened local police accountability and has had perverse impacts on the recruitment of chief constables,” she said.

“They have failed to inspire confidence in local people, in stark contrast to the mayoral model, which has clearly been ultimately more successful.”

Abolishing the roles will save £100 million this parliament, she added, insisting boards will “not be a return to the bureaucratic and invisible committee-based oversight” of the past.