PCC has say on Government move to pause local government reform

PCC has say on Government move to pause local government reform

Plans for a major shake-up of local government are on hold, after the Government launches a review following new legal advice. A review will be carried out in 14 areas, including Worcestershire.

PCC John Campion said: “Reform to our local public services, including policing and local government, is needed - that’s not in question. Communities deserve services that are modern, effective and efficient. But once again, the mission and the delivery are drifting apart.

“Decisions of this scale must be lawful, transparent and shaped by local communities. We’ve seen successive governments push through structural change only for it to be challenged or overturned - and yet the same mistakes continue to be made.

“This matters for policing. HMICFRS’s latest assessment sets out that reform must focus on what genuinely improves the service the public receives, and be done ‘thoughtfully’ - shaped with chiefs, local politicians and those closest to communities, not imposed top‑down.

“The uncertainty around local government reform also affects policing directly. The Government has said that new strategic authorities will set the future footprint for how policing is governed and delivered. Until there is clarity on what those authorities will look like, forces cannot plan confidently or align priorities with the councils and partners they work with every day.

“I fear decisions so far have been driven by political intent rather than local views. I hope this pause gives the Government the chance to take stock, look again and find a long‑term solution by listening to local communities and delivering reform that not only stands up legally but delivers the change that is genuinely needed.”