Police and Crime Commissioners have been elected by the public in England and Wales since 2012, when they were introduced by the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011. They are voted for by the public and given a democratic mandate to act on behalf of the public they serve.

The White Paper sets out the government’s plans to abolish Police and Crime Commissioners in 2028 and to transfer police governance either to Strategic Authority Mayors or local council leaders through Policing and Crime Boards. The government has also set out its intention to require every Police and Crime Board to appoint a full-time Policing and Crime Lead in areas where the powers cannot go to a regional mayor. This role is envisaged as operating much like a Deputy Mayor for Policing & Crime does now in areas where the powers of a Police and Crime Commissioner already sit with a Strategic Authority Mayor (e.g. Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire). 

The expectation is that Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly will have a Police and Crime Board which would comprise the leaders of upper tier local authorities and co-opted members.  

The number of local authorities that will sit on a Police and Crime Board in our area is still to be confirmed. A separate government consultation on local government reorganisation in Devon closed on March 26, 2026.

While the White Paper set out high level proposals, the detailed policy design work to deliver these changes is still being developed. This includes setting out what functions Policing and Crime Boards and their supporting secretariats will hold and how they will operate.  

These reforms will require primary legislation and the government intends to introduce a Police Reform Bill into parliament in 2026 to take this forward. The legislation is expected to set out the framework for future police governance and provide more detail on how the new arrangements will operate. 

We intend to update these pages regularly to provide information on the proposed changes and their potential implications for the communities of Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly as the scope of these reforms become clear.