Police funding package for 2024/25 ‘extremely disappointing’, says PFEW

The Government says its proposed package, published on Thursday (December 14), could see police forces across England and Wales receive up to £922 million extra funding next year.

Should police and crime commissioners (PCCs) choose to take full advantage of police precept flexibility, the Government says this could mean a total of up to £18.4 billion is pledged to support the police to reduce crime, tackle anti-social behaviour and “relentlessly pursue” County Lines gangs.

According to the Government, this represents a 30.7 per cent rise in cash terms compared with 2019/20.

However, PFEW national chair Steve Hartshorn said: “It is disappointing to see PCCs yet again having to choose to take more money from local residents who have already paid for policing in taxes at a time when the cost of living is still biting hard on many, especially the recent energy cost increases.

“To say that ‘should PCCs choose to take full advantage of police precept flexibility’, is at best a misleading way to describe another way to not fund policing completely and centrally, which continues a post code lottery of funding.

“Those areas that can least afford to pay extra will suffer unless funds are apportioned according to the needs of the public.”

Home Secretary James Cleverly stressed the Government will always support the police.

“Our communities deserve a well-funded and equipped force, dedicated to making our country safer.

“Progress has been made, with overall crime down and 136,000 violent offences prevented since 2019, but we will continue to invest in policing.

“That is why we are putting up to £843 million more into keeping our streets safe, so that every officer and community has the support and resources they need to cut crime, protect the public and build confidence in policing.”

Policing Minister Chris Philp added: “We have delivered record ever police numbers, and this settlement will enable those numbers to be maintained going forwards.

“This settlement will also support work to visibly patrol neighbourhoods, protect the public and prosecute more criminals. Overall crime is down ten per cent compared to last year and like-for-like down 56 per cent since 2010 according to the crime survey.

“Today’s settlement will enable us to keep driving crime down. I want to see a zero tolerance approach to any form of criminality.”

The Home Office says the additional funding will also support forces to give their officers the agreed seven per cent pay increase.

It added that in return for this “significant investment”, police forces will be tasked with improving productivity, identifying efficiencies and ensuring value for taxpayers.

However, Mr Hartshorn said it was extremely disappointing that the Government “simply refuses to acknowledge the acute resource crunch our forces are facing and continues to handout short-term funding arrangements”.

“Taking into account the rise in police officer numbers on the back of Police Uplift Programme, today’s police funding announcement is the worst financial support forces have received in recent years,” he added.

Mr Hartshorn said the Government’s claim of forces getting up to £922 million extra funding for 2024/25 “falls flat” when considered against the payroll commitment for 233,832 full-time equivalent workforce as of March 31, 2023 (officers, staff, police community support officers and designated officers).

“This will reduce the funding by more than a half for chief officers to cover the day-to-day cost of ongoing policing projects and keep their heads above the water while seriously hampering our forces’ ability to initiate long-term crime prevention projects,” he said.

“The PFEW is keen to work with the Government to find solutions that could save public funds and drive overall efficiencies of our forces.”

Responding to the police funding settlement, Roger Hirst, the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners lead on funding formula, CSR and grants, said it was good news for policing and gives police and crime commissioners (PCCs) greater flexibility in locally raised funding.

“The police service must adapt to meet evolving threats and challenges, and this can only happen with sound investment to support growth.

“We welcome the flexibility in precept cap, which in part recognises the inflationary pressures currently impacting forces and the need for additional funding if we are to maintain the frontline resources necessary to get crime down.

“We also welcome the Government’s commitment to funding the police pay increase, although it does not meet the requirements of every force given that it is allocated via the funding formula, not by the successes in officer recruitment.

“We will, however, need a further discussion in-year to deal with a pay increase for 2024/25 and beyond what is already funded.”

The Essex police, fire and crime commissioner added: “Across England and Wales, PCCs are driving effective police programmes and strategies that are successfully reducing crime.

“They want to make the most out of the opportunities presented by a stronger front line. The ability to build on current success depends on appropriate and targeted resourcing and this settlement will enable PCCs to invest in areas that are not only important to the public but vital for preventing future harm.

“Ultimately, people want to see visible and accessible policing in their communities and action taken on their concerns.

“With the Government’s Uplift recruitment programme complete, PCCs can now focus funding on equipping these officers with the training and technology they need to investigate crime, bring offenders to justice, and respond more effectively to the complexity of crime and new demands on the service.”

Deputy lead Dr Alan Billings, the PCC for South Yorkshire, said: “There is a perception in many of our communities that levels of crime and anti-social behaviour are increasing. If they are to be tackled effectively, the police service must be properly funded.

“We have more officers than we did and that is to be welcomed. But, as we move further onto the digital age, so do criminals, and officers need the skills and technology to be able to defeat them. This all comes at a cost.

“Despite the tight finances, PCCs will work with chief constables to use every penny to support the priorities people most want to see – not least targeting neighbourhood crimes and bringing offenders to justice.”

The publication of the provisional funding settlement opens a period of consultation. The Home Office says the final police funding settlement will be debated in Parliament ahead of the new financial year.