(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations make amendments to various instruments in consequence of the changes to policing governance in England and Wales made by Part 1 of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 (“the Act”).
The Act abolishes police authorities in England and Wales, outside London, and replaces them with police and crime commissioners. It also replaces the Metropolitan Police Authority with the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime. The Act makes no change to the role of the Common Council of the City of London as the police authority for the City of London police area. The Act amends the Interpretation Act 1978 with the effect that the words “local policing body” are defined as a police and crime commissioner, the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime and the Common Council in its capacity as a police authority.
The Act also establishes chief constables of police forces in England and Wales and the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis (known collectively as chief officers of police) as corporations sole with the power to employ staff (previously all police staff were employees of the police authorities). The Act also gives chief officers of police the power to acquire property (except land) and to enter into contracts, with the consent of the relevant local policing body.
These Regulations amend the various instruments in order to reflect the replacement of police authorities with local policing bodies, and the new powers of the chief officers of police to employ police staff and procure goods and services in their official capacity. Where a reference to a police authority in an amended instrument applies in Scotland, a reference to a local policing body is inserted in addition to it rather than by way of substitution, as police authorities in Scotland are unaffected by the Act.
The amendments made by these Regulations do not otherwise change the substantive effect of any of the instruments amended.