Crime Commissioner welcomes more funding for police forces

The government has said central grant money to forces will remain the same, and police and crime commissioners (PCCs) will be able to increase the council tax precept by £1 a month.

It comes as Hampshire police faces a £10m shortfall and is set to axe its force support unit and leave road policing unit vacancies unfilled.

Speaking in a YouTube video, Hampshire PCC Michael Lane said he welcomed the announcement but said they were ‘short term’.

He said: ‘It is a welcome recognition of the pressures of policing and police-related demand.

‘Today is good news, it is progress, it’s not the end of the journey.’

Chief Constable Olivia Pinkney said: ‘I have always been clear about the difficult financial position Hampshire is in due to the lack of a fair national funding formula.

‘In light of the greater flexibility for local funding, I am looking forward to seeing the outcome of the current public consultation on the police council tax precept.’

Gosport MP Caroline Dinenage, who has also welcomed today’s news, said: ‘The first responsibility of government is to keep our country and its citizens safe, and to protect our way of life and our values.

‘Over the past seven years crime has fallen by more than a third across the country, but we know there is more to do.’