Row after Hampshire police commissioner warns of huge cuts to charity grants

Hampshire commissioner Michael Lane’s office told organisations cash was on hold and up to 40 per cent may be cut after he lost a budget last week.

Charities, including those working with domestic abuse and sex crime survivors, had applied to his Safer Communities Fund for cash.

It comes after Mr Lane’s budget proposed an increase of £440,000 for ‘essential staff’ and £700,000 for the revenue budget from reserves to provide for a fund.

But members of the Hampshire Police and Crime Panel insisted in a recommendation he must spend a £12-a-year council tax hike only on policing and staff.

The letter, sent this week and seen by The News, said a ‘fresh review’ had been started ‘to establish what funds will be available and which services he can continue to support if the funding available for grants investment is reduced by 40 per cent that would then be required’ following the panel vote.

Cllr Dave Stewart, chair of the panel, told The News: ‘Where I think it’s probably disappointing, and reflects the lack of communication, we quite clearly understand that the commissioner supports a number of areas beyond just the pure operational policing - the domestic violence and victims of the wider commissioned services which help the community stay safe.

‘I don’t think at any stage it was a suggestion by the police and crime panel that he wouldn’t support this.

‘What he was being challenged over was the perception of nearly £0.5m to his office, that was being made at a time when he was reducing policing.

‘He then, it appears to be suggesting, has thoughts around reducing those commissioned services on the basis of the police and crime panel’s recommendation.

‘That, for me, isn’t my interpretation of it and we will be speaking about him and panel members about that.’

A spokesman for Mr Lane’s office said a review had been launched following the budget vote on Friday in Winchester.

The spokesman said: ‘We can confirm that if the £700,000 (from the council tax precept increase) earmarked for commissioning services is not included in the budget for 2018/19 but spent directly on policing instead as recommended by the Police and Crime Panel, the money available to the commissioner for grant funding of projects supporting the strategic objectives of supporting victims and reducing offending will be reduced by 42 per cent.’

The letter, penned by Alan Hagger, head of strategic commissioning, said: ‘The report to the Police and Crime Panel recommended that £700,000 be included within the revenue budget to continue to support vulnerable victims and reduce offending, rather than being drawn from reserves.

‘This cannot now go ahead without further clarification from the panel, and this may have far reaching implications for much needed services.’