Number of police forces in England and Wales might be slashed from 43 to 12 in ‘generational’ reforms

The number of police forces in England and Wales could be reduced to as few as 12 under the most far-reaching reforms seen in the UK in 60 years.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is said to favour the creation of a dozen regional mega-forces as part of an endeavour to cut costs and increase efficiency. 

There are currently 43 territorial forces across England and Wales, which represents just a third of the 117 that existed during the 1960s.

Mahmood was said to be planning to publish a white paper on the proposed changes before Christmas, but has delayed its release until early next year while ‘generational’ reforms are considered, a government source told The Times.

The changes come in the wake of last month’s announcement to abolish police and crime commissioners in a move Labour claims will save taxpayers £100million. 

The Home Secretary is getting rid of the position and handing oversight of local policing to mayors or policing boards made up of local councillors. 

Mahmood said PCCs will be abolished from 2028 to coincide with the next slate of elections – which typically suffer from low turnouts. 

The position was created by Baroness May in 2012 to make police forces and fire services answerable to elected officials. 

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is said to favour the creation of a dozen regional mega-forces as part of an endeavour to cut costs and increase efficiency

They have the power to dismiss chief constables, draw up crime fighting plans and set local police budgets and council tax precepts. 

But critics have long dismissed PCCs – who receive salaries of up to £101,900 – as ‘an extra layer of bureaucracy’ and a waste of taxpayer money. 

Ministers claim their abolition will save £100million during this parliament – up to 2029 – followed by about £20million a year, which could fund ‘320 extra police constables’. 

But Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said the Government proposals were ‘tinkering around the edges’ as crime ‘surged’.

He questioned whether the reforms would save any money – adding that it would leave cash-strapped police forces overseen by a ‘faceless committee of local bureaucrats’.

The Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC) warned it risked creating a ‘dangerous accountability vacuum’ and complained there had been a ‘lack of engagement’ by the Home Office over the decision. 

The axing of PCCs may be politically attractive to the government given there are currently only 14 Labour PCCs compared to 18 Conservatives.  By contrast, just two directly elected mayors are Tories, versus 10 that represent Labour and two Reform. 

Other reforms on the table include granting greater powers to the National Crime Agency in the fight against serious organised crime, alongside an overhaul of the Serious Fraud Office. 

In a damning review of UK’s crime fighting set up, Met Police boss Sir Mark Rowley (right) said the current system has not ‘been fit for purpose for at least two decades’

Mahmood is also said to be considering resources aimed at tackling violence against women and girls.

A source said: ‘Shabana is minded to be pretty bold. She is pushing in the direction of reducing the number of forces. The mood music is certainly in that direction.’

The Home Secretary’s proposal will almost certainly be backed by Sir Mark Rowley, who recently called for the creation of 12 ‘mega forces’. 

In a damning review of UK’s crime fighting set up, the Met Police boss said the current system has not ‘been fit for purpose for at least two decades’.

Writing in The Sunday Times in July, Sir Mark said that bigger forces would be better able to utilise modern technology and would reduce ‘expensive’ governance and support functions.

He said slashing the number of forces by two-thirds would make ‘better use of the ‘limited funding available’ in a thinly veiled dig at Chancellor Rachel Reeves.  

Sir Mark said: ‘The 43-force model was designed in the 1960s and hasn’t been fit for purpose for at least two decades. 

‘It hinders the effective confrontation of today’s threats and stops us fully reaping the benefits of technology.

‘We need to reduce the number of forces by two-thirds, with the new bigger and fully capable regional forces supported by the best of modern technology and making better use of the limited funding available.’