FAQs

The Police and Crime Plan sets out the strategic policing and crime priorities for West Yorkshire, and how the Mayor plans to meet them. The plan also has a requirement to set out the objectives and priorities of the work and activity of West Yorkshire Police and the Chief Constable for the next three years, and how the Mayor will hold the Chief Constable to account in delivering these objectives.

With regards to policing and crime, the Mayor of West Yorkshire is responsible for:

• Securing the maintenance of an efficient and effective police force and holding the Chief Constable to account.
• Issuing a Police and Crime Plan, determining police and crime objectives.
• Attendance at the Police and Crime Panel.
• Preparing an annual report.
• Calculating a council tax or budget requirement (precept).
• Maintaining the Police Fund.
• Appointing, and where necessary, suspending or calling on a Chief Constable to retire or resign.
• Delegating some of these functions to a Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime where appointed.
• Consulting the public to ensure that their views and priorities on community safety issues inform the police and crime plan.
• Commissioning of services which include supporting victims and tackling reoffending.
• Strengthening links such as inclusive growth and community safety and cohesion.

To provide stronger and more transparent accountability of the police, the Mayor of West Yorkshire holds the Chief Constable to account, helping to make the police answerable to the communities they serve.

The Mayor will ensure community needs are met as effectively as possible and foster local relationships through building confidence. They will work in partnership across a range of agencies at local and national level to ensure there is a unified approach to preventing and reducing crime.

The Mayor does not run the police. The role is to be the voice of the people and hold the police to account.

Inclusivity is a key priority and pledge of the Mayor. We have a broad range of community contacts and policing and crime stakeholders/partners including the Violence Reduction Unit. These contacts span many diverse communities across West Yorkshire and we’ll be working with them to ensure the consultation reaches as many people as possible. 

The survey is also available in different languages and formats, with an open offer of assistance in completing it for those who request it. If you would like to discuss other ways of doing this please email Consultation.PC@westyorks-ca.gov.uk. 

Information collected from the consultation, whether that be via the survey, in person or other methods will be crucial, not only in setting priorities but also to ensure we are focusing activity and funding on the areas of greatest need to the people of West Yorkshire. This Plan sets the strategic direction for West Yorkshire Police, community safety partners and commissioned services over the next three years, so we need to make sure that direction is what’s best for everyone in West Yorkshire.

It is expected that the new Police and Crime Plan will be launched in early 2022.