The Government is putting an extra £750m into the fight against crime – taking total spending on policing to nearly £12 billion, an increase of 39 per cent on 2000/01 the Home Secretary, David Blunkett, claimed as the Government announced the local Government grant settlement.
Police authorities will receive police grant increases ranging from 3.75 per cent to 6.9 per cent, the Home Office claims. Some 26 police authorities will benefit from the guaranteed minimum ‘floor’ increase in police grant of 3.75 per cent.
What they say
Mr Blunkett said: "Law and order is a top priority for the Government. The £750 million increase in funding for policing next year ensures that the police will have the resources they need to tackle crime in all its forms. This additional money, along with the legislation we are taking through Parliament and the second phase of the Government’s police reform programme, will put the police in an even better position to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour and make our communities even safer. We have listened to the Association of Police Authorities and the Association of Chief Police Officers and are putting substantial extra cash directly into police forces, including an extra £350 million in police grant. This will mean that forces can maintain the record police officer numbers of nearly 140,000 and increase the number of Community Support Officers to 5,500 by April 2005 and 24,000 by 2008.
"With the funding I am putting into policing, good financial management and efficiency improvements, the police will be able to deliver national and local priorities within a reasonable increase in the police precept, which is added to council tax. Total funding for the police service this year is almost £12 billion – an increase of £3 billion since 2000. I am confident that this level of resourcing will allow the police service to meet the high standards expected by the public and provide a service that is responsive to local needs, visible and available in the neighbourhood."
