The West Midlands mayor will take responsibility for fire and police services by 2020, the Home Office says.

It means the mayor, elected by voters in Birmingham, Coventry, Wolverhampton, Solihull, Walsall, Sandwell and Dudley, will replace the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, who is also directly-elected.

But the plan was criticised by Birmingham MP Steve McCabe (Lab Selly Oak), who said the Government previously claimed it was essential to have a Commissioner to hold police forces to account.

Walsall North MP Eddie Hughes raised the future of police and fire services in the House of Commons, as he asked what talks the Government had held with West Midlands mayor Andy Street about a “devolution deal” designed to transfer more power to the region.

Home office Minister Nick Hurd said: “I speak regularly to Andy Street. The Government are determined to honour the second devolution deal, including with proposals to help to bring police and fire services under the Mayor, as we have done in London and Manchester.

“We are absolutely committed to working with both Andy Street and the police and crime commissioner to make sure that that happens by 2020.”

Selly Oak MP Steve McCabe

But Mr McCabe responded on Twitter, saying: “I thought we elected the Police & Crime Commissioner. Seem to recall current PM arguing elected Police and Crime Commissioners were crucial for police accountability.

“Now they’re going to tack it onto a Mayoral job created for an entirely different purpose.”

The next mayoral elections are also due to take place in 2020, which means there is no guarantee the mayor taking over police and fire services will be Mr Street.