Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has claimed ‘a turning point for policing’ in England and Wales, by announcing doubled funding to police forces for neighbourhood policing – increased from December’s provisional £100m commitment.
Yvette Cooper said: “By doubling extra neighbourhood funding to £200 million, we are giving forces across the country what they need to put more officers and PCSOs [police community support officers] where they’re needed most – on our streets and in our town centres. Every neighbourhood deserves dedicated officers who know their patch, understand residents’ concerns and can tackle problems before they escalate. This investment, alongside new powers we are bringing into law, will help prevent crime and protect our communities, which is at the heart of our Plan for Change. Restoring local policing will not happen overnight, but this funding boost will get more officers into our town centres and rural areas.”
APCC response
At the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC), Joint Leads for Police Funding, Essex PFCC Roger Hirst and PCC Joy Allen called it a good start towards the overall increase in neighbourhood officers. They said: “Policing budgets remain under pressure. The degree of challenge varies between forces, but PCCs and chief constables face difficult choices to be able to maintain the level of resources needed, and a workforce configured to respond to the demands on policing.
“PCCs and Deputy Mayors are committed to providing the best possible police service to the public and will hold chief constables accountable for delivering a more visible police presence in our communities.”
Essex shortfall
Essex Police’s share of the funding, £2.3m, with other measures, will help bridge a £5.3m shortfall announced earlier, Mr Hirst said. Essex, which had proposed to do away with PCSO posts, like other counties has a precept increase.
Mr Hirst said: “The next step is to submit our plan to use the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee funding to the Home Office for approval. Our ability to work within the budget is dependent on the Home Office accepting that plan and providing the additional funding. The public support for PCSOs was vocal and powerful and I want to thank all Essex MPs and councillors who supported us in helping me persuade the Government to give more funding to help save these posts.”
However, the additional funding is not enough to cover the whole of the Essex Police budget shortfall, he added. Around 65 staff posts will go. Earlier, the rank and file police body the Police Federation had complained of Essex’s cuts as ‘savage’.
Comment
At the trade union Unison, national officer for police staff Ben Priestley said: “Neighbourhood policing has been shattered after a decade and a half of cuts under previous Conservative governments. Extra cash is welcome and sorely needed. But forces must do everything possible to use this money to properly fund all police staff roles.
“It’s a false economy to focus spending on officers at the expense of other vital jobs. Cutting back on trained, experienced staff means police officers are taken away from the frontline community work the public expects.”
