Commissioner warns “extremely disappointing” funding settlement from Government could impact policing in Staffordshire

POLICING in Staffordshire could be impacted by funding pressures, the county’s commissioner has said.

Ben Adams said a funding agreement from the Government was “extremely disappointing” given National Insurance increases.

The Staffordshire Commissioner added that many of the organisations commissioned to as part of victim support and helping with children at risk could also be challenged by the changes.

He said:

“In the last four or five years the budgets have been positive – the police officer numbers alone are up over 400 to over 2,000 in just four years.

“Disappointingly, I’m afraid this budget round is going to be different. We’ve had a settlement from Government that’s extremely disappointing. It doesn’t meet the National Insurance increases and it doesn’t cover pay increases.

“I regret to say your council tax is becoming a national tax – it is becoming the basis on which public services are funded and that’s not what it’s about.

“It should be about local investment to improve and enhance the service. Nationally-negotiated pay increases and National Insurance increases should be covered by the Government I think and anything that pretends otherwise is to miss the point.

“I regret to say that for the first time in my tenure as commissioner the budgets are under pressure and it will be very difficult for them not to affect service levels I’m afraid.”

The final budget proposals will be presented to the Staffordshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel in the coming weeks.