UK Government plans police overhaul but devolution of powers ruled out

There is no clear indication of Gwent Police’s future following the announcement of what’s been dubbed the biggest reform of policing in 60 years. 

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood intends replacing the current “patchwork” of 43 police forces across England and Wales, which she said has been largely unchanged since the 1964 Police Act and “straining for decades”. 

Instead there will be a smaller number of regional forces responsible for specialist investigations such as rape and murder, which within them will have “smaller” local policing areas to concentrate on crimes such as burglaries, shoplifting and antisocial behaviour. 

No details of how new forces will be formed or which forces could be merged together were announced, but the Labour MP highlighted some have “just 1,000 officers, others over 8,000.” 

Figures from March last year show Gwent Police, which is the smallest force by geography in Wales, had 1,549 officers, which was 258 more than Dyfed-Powys, the largest policing area in Wales but the smallest force by number of officers.

Following the Home Secretary’s announcement in the House of Commons, Gwent Police chief constable Mark Hobrough said he was committed to working with the three other Welsh chief constables to “deliver the best possible service to all in Wales”. 

Gwent’s police and crime commissioner, Jane Mudd, who learned in November her position as the local police watchdog is to be scrapped, said she and her three counterparts in Wales will play “a full and meaningful role in designing future arrangements for Wales”. 

In a statement, CC Hobrough avoided criticising or supporting the vision set out by the home secretary who, under the reforms to be phased in over a number of years, will take back the power to hire and fire chief constables from directly elected police and crime commissioners. 

CC Hobrough acknowledged the challenges facing police outlined by Ms Mahmood, who said the creation of a national police service will protect neighbourhood policing. 

He said: “Crime is changing, technology is evolving, and we need to be set up in the best possible way to fight crime in the modern world, relentlessly focused on good quality neighbourhood policing alongside national threats. 

“I am committed to ensuring any changes to policing are right for the people of Gwent, and together with my fellow Welsh chief constables, that we will deliver the best possible service to all in Wales.” 

Ms Mudd, who was elected police and crime commissioner as a Labour candidate in 2024, said she recognised the need to reform policing but “it is vital that they deliver for the people and communities of Wales”.    

She also said differences in how police operate in Wales should be recognised: “Policing in Wales operates within a distinct public service landscape, shaped by close partnerships with Welsh Government, local authorities, health services, and our other partners.

“The partnership approach we have developed over many years here in Wales has been praised by successive governments, and any review of the policing model and structures must reflect this work. It must also consider the evidence of what works best for the communities we serve.

“As locally elected representatives, Welsh PCCs are committed to playing a full and meaningful role in designing future arrangements for Wales, ensuring continuity, stability, and democratic accountability during any transition.

“The UK Government must now demonstrate how the regional and structural change it is proposing would enhance local accountability and deliver the best possible service to our communities.” 

Welsh Liberal Democrat MP David Chadwick said plans to merge Wales’ four police forces into one “would be a serious mistake”.

There was no direct indication that a single Welsh police force would be formed and the prospect of devolving responsibility for policing to the Welsh Government was only ruled out in response to a question from Plaid Cymru.

Devolution of policing is an ambition of Welsh Labour though it isn’t supported by the UK Government.  

Responding to Plaid Cymru’s Liz Saville-Roberts, Ms Mahmood said “No I do not” when asked if she agreed the reforms are “exactly the right time to devolve policing to Wales”.

Earlier, in response to a Scottish MP, Ms Mahmood said the new national service would have “full operational powers” in England and Wales but “only carry out activities in Scotland and Northern Ireland” with the consent of their governments, seemingly ruling out any devolution of policing powers to Wales. 

Ms Mahmood was also asked by a Welsh Labour MP if politicians, local government, and the Welsh Government would be consulted on future accountability arrangements, to replace police and crime commissioners. 

She confirmed the policing minister had met with the Welsh Government and said the review will take account of existing devolution and local government arrangements.