Content

13.1

The Director of Policy and Democratic
Engagement presented a report setting out details of a proposal
from the Mayor of South Yorkshire that the powers of the Police and
Crime Commissioner (“PCC”) should be held by the Mayor
following the conclusion of the current PCC’s term of office
in May 2024.
 
This transfer of powers requires secondary
legislation to be made by Parliament and the consent of all four
constituent Councils within the Mayoral Combined Authority, of
which Sheffield is one. This report seeks the consent of Sheffield
City Council to the transfer of powers, resulting in the abolition
of the role of the Police and Crime Commissioner for South
Yorkshire from May 2024.
 
This change would also give the
Council’s consent to the 
alignment of the Mayoral election cycle with the current PCC
election cycle.  This would result in
the next Mayoral election taking place in May 2024 (and thereby
reducing the Mayoral term of office by two years,) with the Mayor
holding the PCC powers from that point.

 

 

13.2

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That
Strategy and Resources Policy Committee gives Sheffield City
Council’s consent to:-

 

 
(a) the making of an order to provide for the
Mayor of South Yorkshire to exercise functions of the Police and
Crime Commissioner (“PCC”) in relation to South
Yorkshire with effect from May 2024; and
 
(b) the reduction of the current Mayoral term
by two years so as to align with the PCC election cycle in May
2024.

 

 

13.3

Reasons for
Decision

 

 

13.3.1

It is recommended that Sheffield City Council
provides its support for the transfer of PCC powers to the South
Yorkshire Mayor as this will secure the following benefits for the
people and communities of Sheffield:
 
• Create one single accountable, elected
politician to represent the interests of communities on South
Yorkshire wide issues, whilst also strengthening the opportunities
to improve political scrutiny in line with the recently published
English Devolution Accountability Framework.
• Deepen collaborative working to further
address issues including substance misuse, mental ill health
crisis, serious violence – to include gender-based violence,
economic crime, anti-social behaviour, road safety and
re-offending.
• Realise efficiencies from shared
corporate support services and joint business planning to release
enhanced funding for frontline policing delivery.

 

 

13.4

Alternatives
Considered and Rejected

 

 

13.4.1

The only alternative option is for Sheffield
City Council to withhold its consent. This was dismissed as it
would not secure the benefits of integrating the PCC and mayoral
powers as set out in paragraphs 2.4 to 2.6 of the report now
submitted.