I had the opportunity to speak up for local residents regarding the potential merger of the Police & Crime Commissioner role with that of the West Midlands Mayor. Preserving our police station on this side of the borough is paramount. In constituencies such as mine, these matters hold significant importance to my residents.
Our elected Mayor currently holds devolved powers in crucial areas such as transport, regeneration, housing, and skills, all of which deeply impact people, and communities. Therefore, merging this role with that of the PCC makes absolute sense. Just like in London, Greater Manchester, and West Yorkshire, it is time to consider the same for the West Midlands, especially given the region’s size. Maintaining a separate PCC is no longer practical.