Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, Donna Jones, has responded to today’s announcement that her role is set to be abolished, saying the move was ‘inevitable’ but criticising the lack of public consultation.
The Labour Government has confirmed plans to scrap Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) across England, transferring their powers to directly elected Mayors in an effort to reduce bureaucracy and strengthen local governance.
In response to today’s announcement, Donna Jones has said:
“Today’s announcement isn’t unexpected. The government had already outlined plans for every part of England to be represented by an elected Mayor by 2029. Where a Mayor’s area matches the boundaries of a Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), it was clear the two roles would be merged. So this outcome was inevitable.
“What is disappointing is the lack of consultation with the public before today’s announcement.
“When we see issues in policing, such as in the recent BBC documentary about issues in the MET, it is right that there is strong effective independent governance of policing. PCC’s have made that happen.”
Commissioner Jones has stressed that there will be no immediate change for residents on the Isle of Wight. She confirmed that the position of PCC will remain in place locally until powers are formally transferred to a newly elected Mayor in 2027, following the creation of the Hampshire and Solent Mayoral Combined County Authority in 2026.
Donna has already announced she intends to run for Mayor, so she could be around for a while longer yet…
She added:
“Firstly, I need to make clear to the people of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight that this will not have a direct impact here.
“For us, the position is unchanged because Hampshire and the Solent Mayoral Combined County Authority will be formed in 2026, and PCC powers are due to be transferred to the mayor’s office in 2027.”
Reflecting on her time in office, Donna Jones said she has taken decisive steps to improve local policing since being elected in 2021.
“Since my election in 2021, I have funded 815 additional police officers; launched a highly successful named Local Bobby scheme which has since been rolled out nationally; reopened 8 police stations; and introduced a Victims Hub and invested £11m every year in victim and perpetrator support programmes.
“Knife crime has also significantly reduced and my funding of the UKPAC initiative is seeing prolific shoplifters targeted and local businesses protected.
“Having a single, visible local leader – answerable to the public – has improved scrutiny and transparency, ensuring policing deliver on the issues that matter most to local communities.
“Whatever follows in our place must be rooted in local and national accountability, clear and identifiable leadership and connected to local communities. The public deserve nothing less.”
Ah bless Donna . I guess for you , it was good whilst it lasted.
I agree the new Mayor should take this role on , no need for two people
I think Donna has done a great job as PCC and has helped the Police to improve their focus and service.
Good riddance, you never did anything for the island, except pop up for the odd photo shoot for seldom seen Seely (remember him!!) He of the infamous Seaview sausage.
Never see a policeman in Bembridge Donna, and Sandown is full of drugs and Pi–heads stealing all the time, cut their bloody hands off when found guilty, they wont do it again, we are too soft with the S-it.
I agree that these roles are a waste of money, but how many Mayor’s are of English ethnicity? Very worrying for the future of British policing…
Do you know how many PCC’s are of a non English Ethnicity?
Donna Jones is a WELSH ethnic name. NON ENGLISH
Currently all the announced candidates for the Hampshire an Solent have names which originated within an Anglo Saxon Tribe or as a result of invading Scotland or Wales.
Martin Tod (Lib Dems)
Lorna Fielker (Labour)
Donna Jones (Conservative)
However, there is still time for Reform or the Greens to drop someone with a name in like Zia Yusuf or Motin Ali who definately are not Ethnic English and will be a worry for Policing
Why does a Mayor need to be of English ethnicity to have oversight of the police? If I had cancer and Dr Singh, my oncologist, recommended that Dr Schmidt was the best surgeon to operate on my type of cancer, I shouldn’t be in the least worried that these non-English doctors were taking care of my British body. I should simply be grateful that the people with the expertise were able to help me. Really, people do talk the most abject rubbish driven by their inherent racism.
“this will not have a direct impact here…For us, the position is unchanged”
And why? ‘Cos Ms Jones is standing for Mayor!!!
I think we all know how to vote now.
She will just move on to her next gravy train, where she will build another bloated empire at our expense and continue to do nothing useful for the Island. Both PCC’s and pointless Mayors should be abolished and the money used to directly fund policing and council functions.
At last the gravy train coming to an end let’s hope there is no lump sum or pension waiting at the station
I suppose one shouldn’t be surprised by the uninformed and unthinking knee jerk reactions when our Island keyboard warriors spring into action on any subject. I have no interest in or particular admiration for our commissioner, but was generally impressed when she appeared on the Nick Ferrari (LBC radio) show the other day. There’s no doubt she works very hard and has had a generally positive impact on the bureaucratic aspects of the system. I think we should look at the whole national culture and attitude which have given us the police service we deserve rather than blame an individual. The simple question in this case is whether she has saved more money than she has cost us and been a fairly useful watchdog if nothing else. That’s the bottom line.
given the fact she is utterly incompetent the sooner she and her empire go the better, heaven help us if she becomes mayor