Four elected police commissioners from Wales will answer questions from MPs next month about the government's plan to scrap their positions by May 2028. The Welsh Affairs Committee has scheduled the session for July 8, when all four Wales Police and Crime Commissioners will give evidence on the proposed reforms. North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Andy Dunbobbin will be among those questioned about the shake-up.
The government wants to remove the elected commissioners, a move that has sparked concern among the PCCs themselves. By bringing them before MPs, the committee is forcing the commissioners to make their case against the abolition plans in a public setting. The reforms represent one of the biggest changes to police governance in Wales in recent years.
Police and Crime Commissioners were introduced in 2012 to make policing more accountable to the public through the ballot box. The government's plan to eliminate the role raises questions about how future police accountability will work. The Welsh Affairs Committee is one of several bodies examining the proposed changes as they move through Parliament.
The commissioners will have the opportunity to raise concerns about losing their elected status and to argue for alternatives to the government's plan. Their evidence will form part of the committee's inquiry into the reforms. The session on July 8 will be a chance for MPs to hear directly from those who currently hold the position about what abolishing it might mean for policing in Wales.
