West Mercia PCC’s Newsletter – February 2026

Welcome to my latest newsletter.

The February edition includes information around central funding from the Government and how that will impact the council tax precept and police officer numbers, my thoughts for future legislation around E-Scooters, detail about a refurbished Sexual Assault Referral Centre, opportunities for you to have your say on accessing police stations and anti-social behaviour, and much more.

Police and Crime Commissioner, John Campion

Police officer numbers to fall after 10 years of growth

My proposal to increase the council tax precept by 5.2% was backed unanimously by the police and crime panel on Friday 6 February.

By receiving backing from the panel, it will allow the Chief Constable and I to progress with our plans to deliver efficient and effective policing in West Mercia.

But to be clear, I do not want to increase council tax by the maximum, I simply have no other choice.

That’s why I am continuing to call on the Government to recognise that central funding must keep up with the demand facing policing, rather than leaving you, the taxpayer, to cover the gap every year.

With the requirement lifted on total police officer numbers, the Chief Constable and I can use resources available to us more flexibly. This means 17 police officer posts will be removed.

However, officers currently in roles that are better suited to the skillset of police staff will move to frontline teams, which will see an 11% increase in neighbourhood policing.

As PCC, I remain committed to ensuring that you are kept safe and your police force is set up to deliver that.

The total budget for policing in 2026/27 will be £328.5m. Council taxpayers will pay an extra £15 per year (an average of 29p per week).

Reckless behaviour destroying lives on our roads

I’m determined to do all I can through enforcement and education to reduce the number of preventable road deaths across West Mercia.

Over the past month, thanks to the diligence of West Mercia Police and the Crown Prosecution Service, three men have been sentenced for their reckless actions whilst behind the wheel on our roads.

On 26 January, a 21-year-old was sentenced to five years in prison following a collision that killed his 17-year-old female passenger. The front tyres of the vehicle were below the legal tread depth and the driver had been speeding. (Read more)

On 6 February, a 25-year-old was sentenced to eight years and three months after being convicted of causing death by dangerous driving while under the influence of drugs. His actions caused fatal injuries to the driver of another vehicle and serious injuries to his own passenger. (Read more)

On 13 February, a dangerous drink driver whose reckless actions claimed the life of his passenger, was sentenced to 10-and-a-half years. Prior to the fatal collision, he had dangerously overtaken 14 vehicles and two motorbikes, putting many more lives at risk. (Read more)

These fatal collisions had one thing in common… the reckless behaviour of the driver, be that through speed, alcohol and/or drugs; and they all were preventable.

No sentence will ever compensate for the sad loss of a life, and road safety will continue to be a top priority of mine. Sadly, statistics show that of the 462 collisions that occurred last year across our three counties – 56 of which were fatal and in which 473 resulted in serious injuries – speed was the main contributory factor in 63 of them, whilst alcohol and/or drugs was the main factor in 33 of the total collisions.

I am determined to reduce the number of preventable road deaths in West Mercia and will continue to invest in road safety measures and education programmes, together with enforcement, to tackle poor driving behaviour.

Whilst the long-term trend of residential burglaries across West Mercia is down, sadly there appears to have been several burglaries recently, particularly in Worcestershire.

The burglaries have seen jewellery, high value items, cars, and cash stolen.

SmartWater is proven to prevent burglaries and acts as an extremely effective deterrent, and I urge you to sign up to the award-winning ‘We Don’t Buy Crime’ and ‘Smartwater’ initiatives to deter criminals and make your homes and businesses safer.

Whilst I will always support West Mercia Police in their efforts pursuing those responsible for crimes such as burglaries, we can also all take steps to try and stop crime from happening in the first place.

I am proud to support the ‘We Don’t Buy Crime’ and SmartWater initiatives as they not only continue my commitment to reduce crime but also help our communities to both be and feel safer.

Residents and businesses can sign up through their local parish council or can contact 

Illegal drugs are a blight on society and can cause huge harm across our communities through drug-related crime and vulnerable people becoming victims.

Two weeks ago, a woman in her 30s was arrested on suspicion of drug dealing following two warrants executed in Kidderminster, Worcestershire.

Thousands of pounds of cash were seized, along with mobile phones and high value luxury items, following a search of a property.

But tackling the illegal supply of drugs isn’t just about one day of activity, it’s about investigative work 365 days a year. It’s about working with partners and across county borders, to both investigate organised crime networks, as well as supporting those who need help breaking away from the cycle of drugs and crime.

I will continue to support West Mercia officers to make sure they have the resources they need to ensure effective enforcement and investigations into criminal activity.

Through effective enforcement together with support, and in my role within the West Mercia Combatting Drugs Partnership, I aim to drive drug use and its associated criminality out of West Mercia.

If you have any information around suspected illegal drugs activity in your community, you can report it here.

Making sure victims are supported throughout the justice process is a priority for me, and I have long called for the cap on Crown Court sitting days to be lifted so that cases can be heard more promptly.

I therefore welcome the news from the Government this week, that it is to provide the resources needed to lift the cap.

I hear far too often from victims and witnesses who have been left waiting years for their cases to reach Crown Court. That delay deepens the harm they have already suffered.

Removing the cap means judges can hear as many cases as the system can support, helping to cut the backlog and ensure victims get faster, fairer justice.

We now need to see progress on increasing the number of judges and advocates, and clarity on the Government’s response to the Leveson review. With these measures in place, we can build a Crown Court system that delivers timely justice and meets the needs of the communities it serves.

I regularly hear from local communities about the rapid increase in E-Scooter use and the frustrations surrounding them. Privately owned E-Scooters are illegal on public roads in our area, and this has created an increasingly difficult environment for West Mercia officers to manage.

There has been one fatality and 11 serious injuries involving E-Scooters and/or E-Bikes over the past five years across West Mercia, and legislation – supported by a clear and enforceable framework – is now essential.

Beyond the issue of E-Scooters being used illegally, we are also seeing them being modified to unsafe speeds, riders failing to use even basic safety equipment, and their use linked to criminality, including drug dealing.

Any future legal framework must therefore be developed in close collaboration with road safety charities, policing partners and industry experts, with the focus on protecting the riders and the wider public.

To that end, I have written to the Secretary of State for Transport, to invite her to work with me to ensure the policing perspective is fully reflected as legislation is developed.

Earlier this month, the Government announced its proposed changes to the national policing model. Its White Paper outlines a number of proposals, including a major restructure to the current policing model and the development of a new national policing centre – a move that I believe will threaten the vital local connections that policing is built on.

Whilst I am not against reform, it should be done to drive improvements. These proposals therefore need to do that, not just for policing but for our communities too.

I am also concerned that moving policing towards a more centralised model, dictated by Whitehall, risks losing the public voice from the heart of local policing – something I have continually championed for in my role as your PCC.

The most important thing is the need for stability and ensuring policing is set up to continue keeping our communities safe. I will work with the Government as the plans are scrutinised and improved over the coming months.

A Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) in Telford & Wrekin has reopened after my investment of £350,000.

By investing in modern, high-quality facilities at The Glade in Wellington, we are ensuring that forensic examinations take place in an environment that protects evidence, reduces trauma and puts victims’ needs first.

Victims of sexual violence deserve the very best care, support and dignity at every stage of their journey. This work reflects what victims and survivors have told us matters most, and it shows what can be achieved through strong partnership working.

This takes my total investment in SARCs to £700,000, after I funded upgrades to the centre in Bransford, Worcester in 2024.

I am proud that this significant level of funding has ensured that wherever you live in the three counties – from our urban centres to our rural countryside – victims can access the very best support when they need it most.

A new partnership I have commissioned, focused on supporting victims of sexual violence and domestic abuse, will launch in April.

Building on the progress made over the past decade, Axis Supporting Survivors will bring together the Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (ISVA) and Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA) services under one specialist provider.

Opportunities to have your say on accessing police stations and anti-social behaviour

As the public’s voice in policing, I really value hearing your thoughts, experiences and concerns.

There are currently two opportunities for you to share your views via consultations. One on accessing police stations across West Mercia, and the other in relation to anti-social behaviour.

The consultation on accessibility, done in partnership with West Mercia Police, is a chance for you to share your experiences and outline what you want improved.

It closes on Friday 6 March and takes less than two minutes to complete.

• Find out more and access the police station survey here

ASB is often raised to me as a concern by communities, so the consultation being run by West Mercia Police on anti-social behaviour is an opportunity to ensure those concerns are heard and acted on. It closes on Sunday 15 March.

• Find out more and access the ASB survey here

[Picture shows (L to R): Sergeant Gary Lansdale (Shrewsbury Town Centre Team), Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion, Chief Constable Richard Cooper, PC Ben Summerfield (Shrewsbury Town Centre Team).]

Paw-some care for police dogs recognised with accreditation

Police dogs are an incredible asset to delivering on our commitment to tackling crime across our communities, and it’s right they are treated with respect and the highest standards of care.

I’m therefore delighted to lead the way in announcing the latest accreditation from the Dogs Trust for the seventh year in a row formally recognising the organisation under its Animal Welfare Scheme (AWS).

Ensuring the care the four-legged officers receive is up to scratch, is the responsibility of myself and my team.

Through the AWS, we provide assurance that animal welfare is treated as a priority and that appropriate safeguards are in place.

To ensure the dogs are cared for in line with recognised standards of welfare and wellbeing, I recruit independent volunteers to observe the animals’ care and carry out welfare reviews to provide independent scrutiny.

Dogs Trust provides national oversight, guidance and specialist expertise to support the scheme with the accreditation confirming processes for the care, management, and oversight of working dogs meets the organisation’s standards.

As part of this recognition, West Mercia Police is eligible to receive suitable working dogs through the scheme.

[Picture shows (L to R): Sgt Vicki Hallett, PD in training Solo, and PCC John Campion outside the Police Dog Training Centre]

Find out some of the work West Mercia Police is doing by clicking:

https://www.westmercia.police.uk/news/news-search/?q=worcestershire