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A Labour Senedd Member has called on the Welsh Government to hold talks with Westminster to ensure policing is “at long last, urgently devolved to Wales”.

Mick Antoniw made the comments in the Senedd after the UK Government confirmed plans to scrap police and crime commissioners (PCCs) in Wales and England in 2028.

The former minister described the creation of elected police chiefs as an “ill-thought-out concept done on the back of fag packet” that was “always doomed to eventual failure”.

Mr Antoniw argued PCCs were introduced to “distract” from “massive policing cuts” that led to the previous Tory UK Government cutting 20,000 officers from forces across the UK.

During topical questions today (November 19), he told the Senedd: “The only way this can work effectively in Wales is by the devolution of policing.”

‘Political intransigence’

Mr Antoniw, the former chief legal adviser in the Welsh Government, added: “The failure to devolve policing previously was an act of political intransigence by the UK Government, rather than practical policy, but we now have the opportunity to rectify that anomaly.”

Jane Hutt, Wales’ social justice secretary, told Senedd Members she has spoken to and written to Sarah Jones – the UK policing minister – since the Home Office announcement.

“The main issue is that key functions currently exercised by police and crime commissioners in Wales must continue to be exercised in Wales,” she said. “The conversation we’ve opened with the UK Government is about how that happens – not whether it happens.”

Conservative Joel James pointed out that scrapping PCCs means their powers will be given to mayors or councils in England, expressing concerns about the implications for Wales.

His colleague James Evans said: “I am totally against the devolution of policing,” questioning the cost to Welsh taxpayers and suggesting Wales would end up with a lesser service.

‘Losing impetus’

Ms Hutt recognised: “There is no equivalent to mayors within the democratic structures of Wales, so we need a different approach to police accountability.”

Former Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price accused Westminster of dragging its feet on devolution, asking: “What is it about Welsh democracy that the UK Labour Government so distrusts?”

Ms Hutt said the Welsh Government was keen to grasp the opportunity for Wales-specific reforms, including to progress the devolution of policing.

Jane Dodds, the Liberal Democrats’ leader in Wales, called for any savings from scrapping PCCs to be invested into frontline policing, particularly in rural Wales.

But she warned the impetus for devolution is being lost, saying: “It feels a little bit lost, the timetable and the target for us to get policing and criminal justice devolved here to Wales.”

‘Expensive experiment’

Labour’s Alun Davies added his voice to calls for devolution of police powers.

He said: “It’s very clear that the Home Office had given absolutely no consideration to the situation of Wales when this decision was made and announced, and they seem somewhat surprised that we have our own arrangements and democracy here.”

Rhys ab Owen, who sits as an independent, said incredibly low turnout shows the public have not embraced the “expensive political experiment” of police commissioners.

He pointed out that nearly 73% of police funding comes from Wales already, suggesting it was a “perfect opportunity” to reform and, perhaps, merge Wales’ four police forces.

Ms Hutt confirmed she was told about the Home Office decision but not consulted, as she pledged to make the case for devolution of policing to Labour colleagues in Westminster.