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The Home Secretary revealed plans to consult on whether police and crime commissioners should also oversee Fire and Rescue Services, where geographic boundaries are coterminous.
This included specific mention of how to address the coterminosity of police and fire services in the South West.
At present, a single police force covers Devon and Cornwall, while two Fire and Rescue Services cover Devon and Somerset, and Cornwall respectively.
Commissioner Alison Hernandez said: “The complexity of Local Government tiers and responsibilities in Devon and Cornwall can often cause difficulties, so I await the results of this consultation with interest.
“Whatever the future governance of these services, it’s great to see that the South West is being given due consideration by our Home Secretary in Westminster.
“It’s also fantastic that the hard work of police and crime commissioners nationally is being recognised by the upper echelons of this Government.”
The initial recommendations will enhance the role of the Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) by:
- changing the PCC voting system to first-past-the-post
- making sure PCCs provide the public with clear information on their force’s performance
- mandating the appointment of deputy PCCs to ensure continuity in unforeseen circumstances
- making changes to ensure more effective and consistent relationships between PCCs and chief constables
For more information visit https://www.gov.uk/government/news/home-secretary-to-strengthen-police-and-crime-commissioner-role.