Welsh government expresses concern at police reforms, calls for compromise

The Welsh Assembly Government has voiced concerns about Home Office plans to reform the police, and in particular proposals to abolish police authorities and replace them with directly elected police commissioners.

Social Justice Minister Carl Sargeant said the Welsh Assembly Government was “firmly opposed” to the changes.

He added: “The WLGA and police authorities across Wales have [also] voiced their strong opposition. This is not based on self-preservation on the part of police authorities but on well reasoned analysis of the arguments.”

Sargeant said his chief concern was that he could not see how replacing police authorities with one commissioner in each force area would increase democratic accountability.

“Police forces are accountable to their local communities through the police authorities,” he argued. “The majority of police authority members are democratically elected councillors and the remainder are independent representatives from communities served by the force.”

The Social Justice Minister called for a compromise, which – rather than replacing police authorities with policing and crime commissioners – would see police authorities continue but with an elected commissioner as chair.

He said: “This would offer the democratic accountability the Home Office is seeking and also maintain the strengths of the current system."

Sargeant said the Assembly Government was willing to work with the Home Office, adding that he had made “practical and positive suggestions for compromise but so far have received no assurances.”