'We want to make this work': Extra £100 million announced for local policing amid growing fears over force cuts
31 January 2025, 08:41
An extra £100 million will be invested into neighbourhood policing in a bid to boost the number of officers on the ground.
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It comes in addition to £100 million announced in December for England and Wales to put 13,000 more police officers on the streets by 2029.
But forces have warned of difficult times ahead with current funding levels, with some saying they will have to make cuts to officer numbers.
The new investment is scheduled for the next financial year and each police force will set out plans to use it to increase patrols by early spring.
It comes after ministers set out a provisional 3.5 per cent real-terms increase in funding for forces with a £986.9 million package in December.
That fell short of the £1.3 billion which chief constables said police forces would need to plug funding gaps over the next two years.
Read more: Police force to cut 200 officers amid 14 million budget shortfall
National Police Chiefs' Council lead for finance, Chief Constable Paul Sanford, said then the funding settlement presented "real challenges" for policing and would "inevitably lead to cuts across forces".
On Thursday, Lincolnshire Police said it has a £14 million funding gap next year, and the force is "exploring options", including potentially reducing the number of officers by up to 1,000 by 2029.
Meanwhile, Essex Police said everyone it employs "will be impacted in some way" by cuts.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: "This major investment marks a turning point for policing in this country.
"By doubling extra neighbourhood funding to £200m, we are giving forces across the country what they need to put more officers and PCSOs 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."
diana johnson
Speaking on LBC's Nick Ferrari at Breakfast, policing minister Dame Diana Johnson said forces need to make decisions locally on how many officers to have after some warned they will need to make cuts.
"I'm not pretending that it isn't difficult and challenging for police forces," she said.
"Obviously PCCs and chief constables have to make decisions locally about what's the best makeup of their force in terms of police officers."
She said the government was "starting from a difficult position" after 14 years under the Conservatives but around £1 billion of funding is going to forces from April.
"Those police forces, and I'm very well aware of Essex and Lincolnshire, those police forces that are struggling, we want to work with them. We want to make this work.
"So we're having meetings with those police forces."
