Now who will sack incompetent chiefs?

Police and crime commissioners are to be scrapped but this removes a vital contact point between rural bodies and FLDs, says Martin Parker

The Government announced recently that from 2028, the role of police and crime commissioner (PCC) is to be abolished (News, 3 December 2025). Irrespective of your views on the wisdom of creating these mostly political appointments, their abolition is not good news for the efficiency of the firearms licensing system.

There are 38 firearms licensing departments (FLDs) in England and Wales, dealing with issuing all firearms and shotgun certificates by 43 police forces. Ultimately, it is the chief constable (CC) for each force who has the statutory responsibility for the issuing of these certificates.

Chief constables have operational autonomy over their own forces. PCCs cannot tell them how they should be run. That said, a PCC has the power to sack a chief constable if they are failing in their responsibilities. They also have responsibility for signing off a force’s budget.

Urgent meeting

BASC has found that if there is a problem with an FLD’s performance, it is often the PCC who can instigate change. This was illustrated when the deputy PCC in Cumbria attended a gamekeepers’ conference organised by BASC in early 2023.

Having been made aware of the delays and problems people in the force area were facing, he sought an urgent meeting with the chief constable. Just six weeks later, I was sitting in the CC’s office, when he committed to the department being turned around in six months.

True to his word and after much hard work by the staff, this was achieved. The department continues to be a top performer. I doubt this would have happened without PCC intervention.

PCCs driving change in licensing

This is not an isolated example. The PCCs of both Staffordshire and West Mercia have been instrumental in securing major funding increases for their respective departments.

The PCC in Suffolk recently chaired a meeting of key stakeholders at BASC’s office in the east of England (News, 28 January). Bedfordshire’s PCC has engaged positively with BASC with a view to developing an appropriate action plan for the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire firearms licensing collaboration.

The Sussex PCC has robustly held her CC to account at performance meetings. She continues to actively support legal shooting activities.

Similarly, Marc Jones, the Lincolnshire PCC, has been continually supportive of an efficient licensing system. He organised for the secretary of the British Shooting Sports Council to address the PCCs’ conference in 2024 on the issues surrounding firearms licensing.

It is probably no coincidence that his force is consistently one of the best performing in England and Wales.

Licensing delays across England and Wales

As I write, the latest figures have been released by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) detailing the performance of all 43 police forces in England and Wales. The figures can only increase concerns over firearms licensing in England and Wales.

Only 13 of the forces have been able to process 80% of licensing applications in the NPCC target time of four months. This means that in 70% of forces, even if a certificate holder applies for their renewal eight weeks in advance and qualifies for the eight-week extension, their certificate may expire before they receive a new one.

If this occurs, the force can issue a temporary permit. Alternatively, the holder may end up putting their guns in storage at considerable expense and inconvenience.

Ten forces have processed less than 30% of applications received in the past 12 months.

Why PCC accountability matters

The message is clear. Only PCCs can hold CCs to account for this lamentable performance. Contact your PCC today, asking that firearms licensing is prioritised.

Departments must be adequately funded and resourced to carry out their functions. PCCs should also ensure that the CC is fully cognisant of the licensing process conducted in their force. This ensures it is as efficient and cost-effective as possible, while maintaining public safety.

“Ten forces have processed less than 30% of applications in the past year”

Comment with BASC’s Martin Parker

Martin Parker is head of BASC’s firearms team. He joined the association from the National Ballistics Intelligence Service, where he held the role of chief scientist. You can contact him at: martin.parker@basc.org.uk