Mayor Street accused of ‘power grab’ for the police
THE mayor of the West Midlands has been accused of attempting to launch a “hostile takeover” of policing powers, amid a heated row over who should be in charge of the region’s force.
Policing in the West Midlands is currently the responsibility of elected Labour police and crime commissioner (PCC) Simon Foster.
But he fears Conservative mayor Andy Street is about to try to wrestle the powers away from him.
Proposed changes to a Government bill would potentially allow the mayor to take over policing without the consent of council leaders in the West Midlands, which is currently the case.
Mr Street has previously made attempts to grab policing powers and has made no secret of his desire to be in charge of police.
The PCC insists any power grab from the mayor would be “profoundly undemocratic”, as the public voted for a Labour police commissioner at the last election.
Mr Foster has challenged the mayor to a debate on the issue.
In letters exchanged between the pair, seen by the Post, Mr Street said he would favour a takeover and insisted the public supported a merger of the roles, and the abolishing of the PCC.
He wrote: “My personal view, as I explained to you in our recent meeting, is that the proposed legislation provides an opportunity to revisit this issue.
“I believe there are significant advantages to a model in which there is a single accountable person, and there is clear evidence that this model has worked elsewhere. Indeed, the absence of policing functions makes the WMCA (West Midlands Combined Authority) anomalous in comparison to mayoralties elsewhere including London, Manchester, West Yorkshire, and the recently announced York and North Yorkshire mayoralty.”
Mr Street insisted the public would have a say over any changes, adding: “Ultimately, in the event of any potential transfer the people of the West Midlands will have the opportunity to deliver their verdict at the subsequent election for a mayor with policing functions. It is also worthy of note in this context that the public consultation conducted in 2019 was overwhelmingly in favour of the functions being merged.”
With more Labour council leaders in the West Midlands than Conservative, the political make-up currently makes it difficult for Tory mayor to win a vote.
And Mr Foster told the Post: “The mayor wants to try and takeover over West Midlands Police, despite council leaders rejecting these undemocratic plans only a few years ago.
“He wants to take away people’s right to vote. I am deeply concerned that this stitch-up would enable the mayor to deliver yet more of his Government’s illadvised, misconceived and poor decision making, that has already cost West Midlands Police 1,000 officers.
“If the mayor intends to proceed with these reckless plans, he should have the decency to debate them in public. These issues are far too important to be left only to MPs at Westminster, who have no connection with or interest in the West Midlands.
“That is why I challenge the mayor to debate me on how the police should be governed, in the interests of the people of the West Midlands.”