The government plans to double funding towards neighbourhood policing teams, investing £200 million in the next financial year. The funding aims to ensure the government meet their target of recruiting 13,000 additional police officers by 2029, as well as upgrading technology, and promoting community engagement initiatives.
Home secretary Yvette Cooper referred to this investment as a ‘major turning point’ for public safety. Stating it will make communities safer by getting ‘more officers into our town centres and rural areas’. The £200 million will be distributed across police forces in England and Wales.
A key proposal from the Home Office includes the introduction of ‘dedicated officers’, assigned to each residency to protect local communities around England and Wales. The Home Secretary believes this initiative will ‘help prevent crime and protect our communities’, aligning with a key pledge in the government’s Plan for Change.
A new Crime and Policing Bill will aim to ‘restore visible policing across the country’ mainly through tackling antisocial behaviour, shoplifting and violence against women. Chief Constable Gavin Stephens praises the promotion of visible policing, stating that neighbourhood policing will ‘build trust and confidence locally’.
Neighbourhood Watch CEO John Haywood-Cripps echoed these sentiments, noting that low public confidence in policing remains a pressing issue. He stressed that investing in local policing will ‘enhance feelings of safety’ across England and Wales.
Despite an increase in police funding, it still does not reach the £1.3 billion that chief constables have called for to plug gaps in the service over the next two years. The National Police Chief’s council lead for finance, Paul Sanford, as quoted in the Guardian, raises concerns about budget constraints, arguing that the funding settlement in fact presents ‘real challenges’ for forces. He warned that it will ‘inevitably lead to cuts across forces.’
The Guardian reports that Essex police could remove all their police community support officers as the face a £12.5 million gap for 2025-26. Likewise, Lincolnshire police are facing a £14 million shortfall.
Policing Minister Dame Diana Johnson acknowledged ‘the scale of challenges that many forces face’. Johnson highlighted that the labour government is ‘starting from a difficult position’ after 14 years of conservative leadership but emphasised the ‘governments determination’ to improve this position. The final police funding settlement published on Friday will see police funding across England and Wales rise to £17.5 billion next year.
