Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill gains Royal Assent

The Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill – which reforms licensing laws and introduces the new breed of police and crime commissioner – has received Royal Assent.

Policing Minister Nick Herbert said: “The Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act is a landmark in the government's agenda to decentralise control and return power to the people.

“The election of Police and Crime Commissioners in England and Wales in November next year will give local people a strong voice in how their communities are policed and provide a powerful boost to the fight against crime.”

The Home Office claimed that commissioners would make police forces “truly accountable” to their communities by.

• “representing all those who live and work in their area identifying their needs;
• setting priorities that meet those needs by agreeing a strategic plan for the force;
• holding the Chief Constable to account
• setting the force budget; and
• appointing - and, where necessary, removing - the Chief Constable.”

The Act includes a range of measures in the licensing arena, including a late night levy allowing councils to charge for licences to pay for extra policing.

Commenting on the legislation, specialist licensing firm John Gaunt & Partners said: “House of Commons consideration of the House of Lords amendments seems to have been limited to those aspects of the Bill which did not affect licensing and on that basis, the original proposals within the Bill in respect of licensing (and arising out of last summer’s consultation ‘Re-balancing the Licensing Act’) appear to have survived substantially, if not completely, unscathed, despite extensive trade lobbying.”

The firm pointed out that there would need to be a raft of ‘follow up’ secondary legislation and revised guidance which should be – “or it has previously been said will be” – the subject of further consultation in due course. “The devil may yet prove to be in the detail,” it warned.

John Gaunt & Partners added: “We have seen a suggestion that the principal elements of the Bill may be brought into force in October 2012 but we do not currently know the strength of this.”