THE Police and Crime Commissioner could become a thing of the past if council leaders vote to combine the position with the mayoralty at a meeting today (Friday).

The board of the West Midlands Combined Authority will vote on the first phase of combining the two positions.

The proposals were first laid out in the West Midlands’ second devolution deal earlier this year, and would see the mayor take on the powers of the PCC in time for the 2020 mayoral election.

A similar process is currently underway to bring the powers of the West Midlands Fire Authority under the mayor.

Current Mayor Andy Street says he is in favour of combining the two positions, with the current role of PCC being held by Labour’s David Jamieson.

However he was keen to stress that Friday’s vote was just about agreeing on a process, not about getting rid of the PCC office then and there.

“It’s about the role, and all we’re agreeing on Friday is the process,” he said.

“It’s still got to be signed off with the constituent authorities, with the Home Office. So it’s just the process that’s being agreed, to honour what is said in the devolution deal.

“The proposal is for a merger of the two roles, and I believe that is right.

“Both of us have been elected to do a job until 2020, and we’ll both do it and work actively together. Then, if this proposal goes through all the stages it’s got to go through, there will be an election for a new post.”

An agreement today would see the proposals put to an eight-week public consultation in November, where people would be asked their views on combining the two positions into one.

The council document says that “the WMCA has significantly pushed the Home Office’s preferred timetable to ensure our timeline allows for a full eight week public consultation process.”

However, it also notes that “we are not required to do so [go to consultation] by the legislation,” casting doubt over whether the public consultation will have any real impact on the final decision.

If the process were to go ahead as planned, proposals would be put to the Home Office in May next year.