Re: West Midlands Police: Force in special measures over sex offender failings
Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2024 5:58 pm
Bid to settle mayor-PCC merger row in courts
A request has been submitted for a legal review into the plan to merge the roles of West Midlands mayor and police and crime commissioner (PCC).
Labour's Simon Foster, the serving PCC, has applied for a judicial review in the High Court to challenge Home Secretary James Cleverly's backing of a transfer of powers to the mayor's office.
The region's Conservative mayor, Andy Street, has given his formal consent to the plan, with the decision to go before MPs for approval.
Mr Foster, who was elected to the role in May 2021, said: "Enough is enough. As PCC my one and only top priority is preventing, tackling and reducing crime.
"I am committed to complying with my pledge to the electorate. I was elected with a mandate to retain a democratically elected and directly accountable PCC."
A spokesman for the West Midlands mayor said: "We dread to think how much taxpayer money is being wasted on London lawyers by the PCC in trying to save his job, money that should be in West Midlands Police's budget to be spent on frontline police.
"To be really clear, the mayor is not subject to this judicial review, and has no intention of backing away from taking the tough steps required to tackle the scourge of crime across the West Midlands."
The Home Office has been contacted for comment.