Oliver Coppard could take over South Yorkshire police commissioner powers from 2024

Oliver Coppard told The Yorkshire Post that he plans to start talks on taking control of PCC powers – in a way already done by West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin – when the current term of office of existing South Yorkshire PCC Alan Billings ends in two years.

Dr Billings, who has already decided to stand down in 2024, said he would be willing to work with Mr Coppard and the Government on making the potential change.

Mr Coppard, who was elected as the replacement to Dan Jarvis as South Yorkshire Mayor earlier this month, set out in his manifesto plans to seek further devolution of powers from central Government including in areas like housing budgets and post-16 skills training.

“We will have a plan for delivering on the manifesto and devolved housing budgets and post-16 skills,” he said.

“The Government are in that place to be fair to them. The Government are thinking about how to devolve more to local regions and we want to be at the forefront of all of those.

“There are some places where I think that is more obvious, not least the Police and Crime Commissioner and bringing that into the organisation, I hope.

“We have got to look at that in the round. We have got to get the views of local authority leaders and of course, our brilliant PCC Alan Billings.”

When asked what the potential timescale for the change would be, Mr Coppard said: “As I understand it, Alan Billings has got another two years to run on his term. I think Alan would serve his full term. That is my assumption.

“There are different ways of doing it and we will have to canvass opinion. But my understanding is Alan would finish his term and that point would seem the obvious timetable.”

Dr Billings said: "The introduction of the mayoral model has seen mayors taking on the powers of the police and crime commissioner role and responsibility for the police budget in a number of areas including London, Manchester and West Yorkshire.

"This appears to be what the government want where the elected mayoral and police force areas coincide.

"It is, of course, a move away from a directly elected PCC as originally envisaged by the Conservative government in 2012.

"I have previously said that I won’t be standing again as Police and Crime Commissioner when my term of office ends in 2024.

"This will give time for discussions to take place about how the powers of the police and crime commissioner will be discharged after this point and I and my office will work with Oliver Coppard, his team and the Government on proposals for the future role of the South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner, if that is what the Mayor and the Government seek to do."

In West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin took over control of the functions of the police and crime commissioner following her election last year. The job had previously been done for two terms by Mark Burns-Williamson, who had the power to set West Yorkshire Police’s budget and its priorities as well as hiring and firing the Chief Constable.

Ms Brabin appointed charity chief executive and former Leeds City Council councillor Alison Lowe as Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime.

There is a similar set-up in Greater Manchester, where Beverley Hughes holds the Deputy Mayor position to Andy Burnham.

Government levelling-up plans are supportive of mayors taking control of police and crime commissioner powers.

The recent Levelling Up White Paper included a devolution framework which specified “mayoral control of Police and Crime Commissioner functions where boundaries align” as one of the powers that would be on the table in future devolution deals.

The White Paper said: “This framework is designed to create a clear and consistent set of devolution pathways for places, enabling them to widen and deepen their devolved powers subject to meeting certain pre-conditions.

“The preferred model of devolution is one with a directly-elected leader covering a well defined economic geography with a clear and direct mandate, strong accountability and the convening power to make change happen.”

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