The Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill introduces a devolution agenda that strives to make all of England devolved by 2029. One of the most centralised countries in Europe, the UK has long been called a country pulled into London’s direction, with other areas, in particular the North of England, languishing behind London and the Southeast.^[1]  The Bill builds on the Government’s English Devolution White Paper, signifying a shift of power from Whitehall to local communities, it will have a profound impact on the governance of English communities. As a part of this devolution agenda, regional mayors, also known as metro mayors, are sought to get more prominence in the English devolution landscape. Intended to provide ‘strong local leadership’ as prominent individuals that local residents can hold directly accountable, also providing central government with a single point of contact when they want something implemented in a region.^[2] As it currently stands, there are 14 regional mayors, this includes the Mayor of London who has a different devolution model. This includes:

• Greater Manchester
• West Midlands
• Liverpool City Region
• Tees Valley
• West of England
• Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
• South Yorkshire
• North of Tyne
• West Yorkshire
• East Midlands
• York and North Yorkshire
• North East
• Greater Lincolnshire
• Hull and East Yorkshire

As the new deals (Suffolk, Norfolk, Greater Lincolnshire, and Hull and East Yorkshire) were implemented in 2025, the total area represented by devolution is 64%, 67%, and 54% respectively, meaning the majority of England’s population is now covered by a devolution deal. ^[3]Mayoral devolution is therefore a seemingly central component of this government’s ‘devolution revolution,’ with mayors such as Andy Burnham increasingly having a profile that rivals that of some prominent lead statesman. ^[4]

The role of metro mayors is intended to create ‘strong local leaders’ that residents can hold to account. While not powerful leaders in their own right, progress can be made with plans only with the agreement of other local leaders. However, the role of mayors is posited to become more prominent with the advent of the devolution and community empowerment bill, where mayors will now gain the functions of police and crime commissioners. The devolution and community empowerment bill looks to make a number of changes, however the transfer of these functions looks to be the biggest provision in the Bill for community safety, how these transfers will work, and how we can best support our members for this transition, will be some elements that will be discussed in the following piece.

The role of Police and Crime Commissioners

Established in 2011 by the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act, Police and Crime Commissioners replaced police authorities in England and Wales. PCCs set strategic directions for policing and hold forces to account while respecting the operational independence of the police, PCCs were also given powers to commission services and set funding levels.

Under the terms of the 2011 Act, PCCs must:

• secure efficient and effective police for their area
• appoint the Chief Constable, hold them to account, and if necessary, dismiss them.
• set the police and crime objectives for their area through a police and crime plan.
• set the force budget and determine the precept [the amount people pay through council tax for policing]
• contribute to the national and international policing capabilities set out by the Home Secretary
• bring together community safety and criminal justice partners to make sure local priorities are joined up.³

• In the 2022 Levelling Up white paper, the government set out a preference for merging the PCC role with directly elected mayors but only in areas where the boundaries of the police area align with the mayoral area.

PCCs represented a significant move towards the devolution of police, community safety, and criminal justice. PCCs have a vital role in the community landscape, some host violence reduction units (VRUs), or community safety partnerships, which are both important features of both ASB and community safety. ^[5]

Since 2019, PCCs have led on various VRUs in 20 areas across the country. VRUs enable multi-agency working, tackling the root causes of violence and embed a culture of prevention, early intervention, and diversion. VRUs have had important impacts, none less so in Glasgow, where notably a public health approach to youth violence has prevented an estimated 3,220 hospital admissions for violent injury since they were introduced in 2018.^[6] In many ways, the role of the PCCs was an attempt to hold police forces democratically accountable, rather than bureaucratically. Awareness of PCCs is an issue however, and it is hoped that the inclusion of PCCs into influential local leaders could raise the profile of PCCs. The Office of National Statistics (ONS) estimates that 42% of people over the age of 16 are not aware of PCCs, turnout is also low with a turnout of 23.2% at the 2024 elections.^[7]

     Opportunities and Challenges

Reform will always bring both opportunities and challenges, and a value judgement must be made to ensure effective policy proscription. The Association of Police and Crime Commissioners has looked at the mayoral assumption of these functions, and identified various opportunities, noting that the devolution agenda offers potential opportunities for improving community safety outcomes, for example through:

• Economics

We know that ASB has a direct relationship to local economies, which influences the larger economic outlook.^[8] Arguably, one of the key central functions of any government is make communities feel safe, in order for local economies to prosper and growth to be achieved. With an aligned mayoral approach, with collaboration at its heart, effective police and crime plans delivered by mayors knowledgeable of their local community could help achieve this goal.

• Prevention and Multi-Agency Working

At Resolve we have long argue that a collaborative, preventative approach should be central to the community safety policy agenda. We must recognise the links between crime, mental and physical health, economic disadvantage, and other root causes, this why we champion the use of positive requirements and effective community measures, as prevention is the best intervention. Mayoral authority therefore helps foster multi-agency working, being a part of one mayoral authority with shared goals, and shared budgets could help assist in multi-agency working.

• Scale

Against a backdrop of budget pressures across public services, bringing PCC powers into mayoral authorities could bring scope for efficiencies and economies of scale. This includes potential financial savings in back-office functions like HR and IT, but more broadly eliminating duplication and streamlining decision making. Being part of a larger organisation also gives policing and crime offices a larger pool of in-house skills and expertise to draw from.

• Political Visibility

Local mayors are increasingly visible features of our political system and help foster ‘soft power’ in regional areas.^[9] PCCs, as articulated previously, play a vital role in community safety however, their role is not widely understood by the public. Mayors, as seen in Manchester, are a visible model for the public, some polling suggests that more people can name their mayor then can name their local MP or council MP.

Challenges

However, there are also some challenges that may arise following the reform of this particular community safety provision.

• Dilution of Functions
  PCCs and their teams have developed specialist knowledge in areas such as police oversight, victim services commissioning, and complaints handling. There is concern that these functions may receive less attention within a broader mayoral structure, where time and focus are divided across multiple priorities. The potential loss of strategic emphasis on community safety is a particular risk, especially if other agendas take precedence. Additionally, many PCC offices currently benefit from close physical and operational proximity to police forces, which may be lost under new arrangements.
• Increased Bureaucracy
  OPCCs are often able to act quickly due to their size and direct access to decision-makers. A larger mayoral authority may introduce more layers of decision-making, potentially slowing down processes and reducing responsiveness.
• Loss of Institutional Knowledge
  Transitioning functions into mayoral structures will likely disrupt existing teams, with possible turnover—especially among senior staff. This could lead to a loss of accumulated expertise and continuity, as roles change or staff opt to leave.
• Unclear Accountability Structures
  Under the current model, chief constables report to a single PCC, supported by a dedicated office. In a mayoral system, accountability may be split between the mayor, a deputy mayor, and a wider administrative structure. Without careful management, this could result in confusion over roles and responsibilities. 

Case study: West Yorkshire

Some mayors have already got various powers to influence community safety policy. Principally this includes some PCC functions, and police and crime plan for their local areas. West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin has illustrated a key example of where Mayors can effectively deliver progress for localities community safety. In West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin and Deputy Mayor Alison Lowe have made it a key commitment in preventing violence against women and girls. They have been able to use both the convening power and budget of the mayor to embed system-level interventions, for example by ensuring at the design phase that new mass transit transport systems would be woman-friendly, and linking women’s safety in to plans for the nighttime economy and green spaces. This approach will be Public Health focused, bringing long term change for the women and girls of West Yorkshire. ^[10]

Supporting members through the bills passage

The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill is a vital bill for the changing governance landscape of England. Introduced into the House of Commons on the 10^th of July 2025, it now stands at Public Bill Committee Stage where a call for evidence has now been issued. We aim to represent our membership body on this important piece of legislation and ensure community safety interests are fully represented. Our principal areas of focus on those that could be defined as ‘public safety’ clauses. This includes:

• Clause 44: Functions of police and crime commissioners
• Clause 45: PCCs and police areas 
• Clause 48: Sharing of information.

We will be running a special interest group on the key aspects of the bill, with a focus on the transition to mayoral assumption of PCC functions. Invitation is open to all members who are interested; however, we would stress that any PCC members or local authorities register their interest.

If you are interested in working with us to ensure the Bill can better serve our membership, and/or have a particular interest in any of the area’s amendments could be made, please contact:

Harrison Box, Policy Officer

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

References

““Devolution Revolution” Forges Ahead with More Powers for Mayors.” GOV.UK, 16 Dec. 2024, www.gov.uk/government/news/devolution-revolution-forges-ahead-with-more-powers-for-mayors.

Allen, Briony, and Sarah Routley. “Regional Mayors | Institute for Government.” Institute for Government, 4 Sept. 2024, www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/regional-mayors-devolution.

Brooks, Libby, and Libby Brooks Scotland correspondent. “How a Pioneering Scottish Violence Reduction Unit Achieved Radical Change.” The Guardian, 25 Feb. 2024, www.theguardian.com/society/2024/feb/25/scottish-violence-reduction-unit-radical-change.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing, and Communities. “Levelling up the United Kingdom.” GOV.UK, 2 Feb. 2022, www.gov.uk/government/publications/levelling-up-the-united-kingdom. Accessed 30 Sept. 2025.

Downs, William. “Police and Crime Commissioners.” House of Commons Library, 14 Oct. 2024, commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn06104/.

“English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill - Parliamentary Bills - UK Parliament.” Parliament.uk, 2024, bills.parliament.uk/bills/4002.

“English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill: LGA Policy Summary.” Local.gov.uk, Local Government Association, 2024, www.local.gov.uk/parliament/briefings-and-responses/english-devolution-and-community-empowerment-bill-lga-policy.

English Devolution and the Transfer of Police and Crime Powers in Association With. Association of Police and Crime Commissioners .

“Government to Make Combined Authority Mayors, Mayor of London and Police and Crime Commissioner Elections “First Past the Post”, Look to Mandate Transfer of Fire and Rescue Functions to PCCs.” Local Government Lawyer, 17 Mar. 2021, www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk/community-safety/393-community-safety-news/46515-government-to-make-combined-authority-mayors-mayor-of-london-and-police-and-crime-commissioner-elections-first-past-the-post-look-to-mandate-transfer-of-fire-and-rescue-functions-to-pccs. Accessed 30 Sept. 2025.

Guardian staff reporter. “West Midlands PCC Wins Case to Stop His Powers Being given to Tory Mayor.” The Guardian, The Guardian, 18 Mar. 2024, www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/mar/18/west-midlands-police-commissioner-wins-legal-challenge-over-power-transfer. Accessed 30 Sept. 2025.

Henderson, Duncan, et al. “English Devolution.” Institute for Government, 6 Mar. 2023, www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/english-devolution.

Home Office. “Anti-Social Behaviour: Impacts on Individuals and Local Communities.” GOV.UK, 27 Mar. 2023, www.gov.uk/government/publications/impacts-of-anti-social-behaviour-on-individuals-and-communities/anti-social-behaviour-impacts-on-individuals-and-local-communities.

Mawby, R.I., and K. Smith. “Accounting for the Police: The New Police and Crime Commissioners in England and Wales.” The Police Journal: Theory, Practice and Principles, vol. 86, no. 2, June 2013, pp. 143–157, https://doi.org/10.1350/pojo.2013.86.2.610. Accessed 20 Mar. 2020.

Newson, Nicola. “Police and Crime Panels: Structure, Purpose and Powers.” House of Lords Library, 15 Feb. 2023, lordslibrary.parliament.uk/police-and-crime-panels-structure-purpose-and-powers/.

Office For National Statistics. “Crime in England and Wales: Annual Supplementary Tables - Office for National Statistics.” Www.ons.gov.uk, 17 July 2020, www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/datasets/crimeinenglandandwalesannualsupplementarytables.

Sandford, Mark. “Soft Power and Grant Coalitions: The First Six Months of “Metro-Mayors.”” The British Academy, 22 Jan. 2018, www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/blog/soft-power-grant-coalitions-first-six-months-metro-mayors/.

“The next UK Government Has an Opportunity to Finally Recognise the Devolution Dividend.” British Politics and Policy at LSE, 29 Jan. 2024, blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/the-next-uk-government-has-an-opportunity-to-finally-recognise-the-devolution-dividend/.

“West Yorkshire Combined Authority.” Westyorks-Ca.gov.uk, West Yorkshire Combined Authority, 2019, www.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/a-mayoral-combined-authority/mayoral-pledges/the-safety-of-women-and-girls/safety-of-women-and-girls-strategy/.

^[1] “The next UK Government Has an Opportunity to Finally Recognise the Devolution Dividend.” British Politics and Policy at LSE, 29 Jan. 2024.

^[2] Allen, Briony, and Sarah Routley. “Regional Mayors | Institute for Government.” Institute for Government, 4 Sept. 2024.

^[3] Henderson, Duncan, et al. “English Devolution.” Institute for Government, 6 Mar. 2023.

^[4] ““Devolution Revolution” Forges Ahead with More Powers for Mayors.” GOV.UK, 16 Dec. 2024.

^[5] English Devolution and the Transfer of Police and Crime Powers in Association With. Association of Police and Crime Commissioners .

^[6] Brooks, Libby, and Libby Brooks Scotland correspondent. “How a Pioneering Scottish Violence Reduction Unit Achieved Radical Change.” The Guardian, 25 Feb. 2024,

^[7] Office For National Statistics. “Crime in England and Wales: Annual Supplementary Tables - Office for National Statistics.” Www.ons.gov.uk, 17 July 2020.

^[8] Home Office. “Anti-Social Behaviour: Impacts on Individuals and Local Communities.” GOV.UK, 27 Mar. 2023.

^[9] Sandford, Mark. “Soft Power and Grant Coalitions: The First Six Months of “Metro-Mayors.”” The British Academy, 22 Jan. 2018.

^[10] “West Yorkshire Combined Authority.” Westyorks-Ca.gov.uk, West Yorkshire Combined Authority, 2019, www.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/a-mayoral-combined-authority/mayoral-pledges/the-safety-of-women-and-girls/safety-of-women-and-girls-strategy/.