Police and crime commissioners (PCCs) in England and Wales are to be scrapped by 2028 under government plans aimed at saving £100 million over the course of this parliament.

Introduced 12 years ago by former prime minister David Cameron, the current model has 41 commissioners who oversee police budgets, appoint chief constables and set local policing priorities.

The Home Office said fewer than 20 per cent of voters could name their PCC.

Commissioner Alison Hernandez assumed office on May 12, 2016 and is now serving her fourth term representing Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

Under the reforms, the powers of commissioners will transfer to elected mayors or council leaders once their current terms end in 2028.

The government said the savings will allow an extra £20 million a year to be spent on front-line policing, the equivalent of 320 constables.

Policing minister Sarah Jones told MPs today that the system had “failed to live up to expectations”, weakening local accountability and creating “perverse impacts” on the recruitment of chief constables.

The Home Office said that under the reforms, efforts to reduce crime would be integrated with broader public services, such as education and healthcare.

It added that support for victims and witnesses, currently managed by PCCs, would continue under the new structure.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the reforms would strengthen local accountability by making police answerable to mayors or council leaders.

Responding in Commons, shadow home secretary Chris Philp dismissed the plans as “tinkering around the edges from a government that is failing on crime and policing”.

He highlighted rising offences such as shoplifting and warned that police forces are already struggling with front-line staffing pressures caused by funding shortfalls.

Read Hernandez’s full statement HERE.