Provisional Police Funding Settlement: APCC Response
Responding to today’s provisional police funding settlement APCC Finance Lead, Roger Hirst PFCC said:
“Today’s funding announcement is welcome and will provide vital extra funding for policing at a time when demand on the service is increasing as is the complexity of the cases forces are having to deal with. The extra resources will help us to deal with the immediate cost pressures for issues such as inflation and pensions, as well as investment in critical areas such as technology.
“The decision to allow further flexibility around council tax precept levels will also allow for greater investment in local policing priorities, as set out in our local Police and Crime Plans. We know this is an area the public want us to invest more in, helping to keep our communities safe and victims supported.
“Police and Crime Commissioners are fully committed to making forces more efficient and we are all working with our Chief Constables to build on the significant progress already made in this area.”
APCC Deputy Finance Lead, Paddy Tipping PCC said:
“Whilst this additional funding is welcome there are still significant challenges for policing. It needs to be acknowledged that, because of the different levels of precept and share of budget accounted for by council tax, the level to which forces benefit will vary. That is why it is more important than ever that the work on the new police funding formula is progressed.”
APCC Chair, Mark Burns-Williamson OBE PCC said:
“The overall 2019/20 funding settlement for policing announced by the Home Office is acknowledged and in particular the funding to cover the pension costs shortfall on which we have been making direct representations to Government and have finally been listened to. The extra flexibility for PCCs to raise more funding locally will be the primary means to secure growth in policing next year and will mean hard decisions and discussions for PCCs with local taxpayers, accounting for more than half of the potential increases announced.
“We know that the public want to see more investment and support for policing in tackling rises in many crime types and for our police officers and staff, who do exceptional work every day to keep us safe and are increasingly stretched with the level of demand they are facing.
“We will continue our work with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and the Home Office ahead of next year’s crucial comprehensive spending review (CSR) to ensure that we get the right long-term sustainable deal for policing, including a long overdue review of the police funding formula which underpins the growing unequal distribution of core policing grant and needs to be addressed.”
APCC Vice Chair, Martin Surl said:
“There is no doubt additional funding is needed, but with decreases in the funding for local policing from central government since 2012 it’s clear the tax burden has now shifted to those who pay local council tax. In parallel policing has seen a significant increase demand especially from national and international internet generated and enabled crimes; how that demand is met and funded must be addressed in the next spending review.”