News Date: Sunday 11th June 2006
Tim expresses concern at local impact of Government cuts to police
East Worthing and Shoreham MP Tim Loughton this week expressed concern after a report by senior police officers warned that a shortage of funding for the police could lead to the loss of 25,000 full-time officers. A cut of 25,000 police officers could mean a reduction of 92 officers across the West Downs Basic Command Unit, with as many as 549 fewer officers across Sussex
The report by the Association of Chief Police Officers warns that Government proposals to merge police forces and provide protective services cannot be achieved "without additional Government funding." However, since the Home Office budget has been frozen, police forces across the country may be forced to cut their workforces to balance the books. The report highlights that "forces will need around 6% to 7% cashable savings per annum...through staff reductions...equivalent to holding (deleting) 25,000 police officer posts nationally."
Tim commented:
"I very much value the work of the police, from uniformed officers, support staff, special constables and community support officers where they exist. But I believe that the public want to see more, not fewer, uniformed police officers patrolling the streets.
"The Government is driving through the costly merger of the Sussex and Surrey police forces with insufficient debate or scrutiny and against the wishes of local people. I have consistently called for the Government to ditch these damaging proposals and listen to the expert views of police officers on the ground. This report is further proof that they continue to fail to listen to the views of the communities affected.
"The fact is that the police levy on Council Tax has soared by 123% across Sussex since 1997, but much of this has been wasted on administration and paperwork. Hard-working families and pensioners deserve a better deal. Cutting the number of police officers would be daylight robbery."
ENDS
Note to Editor:
POLICE CHIEFS WARN OF LOOMING FUNDING CRISIS
A report by the Association of Chief Police Officers' finance committee warns that the one-off set up costs of restructuring police forces will cost ?538 million. These costs 'will be funded from savings made from restructuring and from top slicing the existing capital grant. There is no new money available... Ultimately restructuring and the level of protective services the Government aspires to through the O'Connor report cannot be achieved by the police service without additional Government funding'. The report goes on to warn that 'forces will need around 6% to 7% cashable savings per annum... equivalent to holding (deleting) 25,000 police officer posts nationally. The impact of such a cut would destroy any realistic hope of developing Neighbourhood Policing or mixed economy teams under Workforce Modernisation'.
The report concludes: 'unless additional funding is identified the early years of Force amalgamation are likely to be a period not of service improvement but a period of rapid and significant reduction in service provision as the new forces desperately try to balance their books (ACPO Finance and Resource Business Area, Updated Financial Implications of Restructuring, Impact of Budget Settlement and Future Home Office Financial Assumptions, May 2006, pp 22-23).
GORDON BROWN FREEZES THE HOME OFFICE BUDGET
In his Budget Speech, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, announced that the Home Office budget will remain frozen for three years at its 2007-08 level. He said: 'The Home Secretary has agreed that we can invest more in priorities like policing and security, while making savings in other areas within a three-year budget at its 2007-08 real-terms level (Hansard, 22 March 2006, col. 300).
For further details of the local impact of police cuts, please contact Tim Loughton's Westminster office on 020 7217 4471
?, Tim Loughton MP , 2006
