Responding to the announcement that the Government has doubled its Neighbourhood Policing Fund to £200m, Rupert Matthews, Police and Crime Commissioner for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland said:
“I have been calling on past and present Governments to address the need for additional funding since I was elected. Today’s announcement is therefore a small step in the right direction but we will need to work out what it really means for Leicestershire Police.
“I know that it doesn’t even cover this year’s deficit position caused by core funding levels being inadequate. We need more than this just to stand still.
“It’s also a fact that ring-fenced funding like this is an excellent way to support the delivery of a project with a limited lifespan. But Neighbourhood Policing is at the very heart of policing. It is the single most important part of policing to most residents. It is not a project.
“It’s now my job to work with the force to ensure that this new money is spent wisely to deliver sustainable results that will last beyond a short term funding package.
“And this announcement does not mean that I will abandon my calls for the inequity in police funding to be addressed as a matter of urgency. This is a very expensive, very attractive sticking plaster, but it won’t solve the financial problems we face.”
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Posted on Friday 31st January 2025