More bobbies on the beat as PM puts people’s priorities first

Every neighbourhood will have a named, contactable police officer in their community, dealing with local issues, as PM puts more police on the street at the heart of his mission to tackle crime.

In a major speech today unveiling his Plan for Change, the Prime Minister will tell communities that they can expect to have a visible and responsive policing presence that will reconnect with the communities they serve.   

Confidence in policing has declined in recent years and community policing has been diminished, with neighbourhood officers pulled off the beat to plug shortages elsewhere, weakening connections with communities. Since 2010, the proportion of people who see a police foot patrol more than once per week has more than halved, and the number of Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) has halved.

The Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee sets out what communities should expect from their neighbourhood policing team. Every neighbourhood will have a named, contactable officer, and residents and businesses will be given a voice to shape their local police priorities. In addition, every force will have a dedicated anti-social behaviour lead who will work with their communities to develop action plans that tackle the concerns seen on their streets every day.    

To support this, the milestone over this Parliament is to have 13,000 additional neighbourhood policing officers, PCSOs and special constables in dedicated neighbourhood policing roles. These officers must demonstrably spend time on visible patrol and not be taken off the beat to plug shortages elsewhere,

The government is boosting the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee with £100 million, which will place a renewed focus on preventing the criminality plaguing the streets - particularly in town centres - with visible, accessible officers that will deter offending and reassure locals they will be kept safe.

As part of the drive to raise standards and improve accountability, the Safer Streets Mission includes a programme of police reform. This is important to deliver on the ambition to halve violence against women and girls and knife crime, as well as drive up confidence in the police, which has diminished in recent years.

The Prime Minister will say:

“The Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee will deliver 13,000 extra neighbourhood police, visible on your streets, cracking down on anti-social behaviour. A named, contactable officer in every community. A relief to millions of people scared to walk their streets they call home. 

“But it's a pledge that is only possible because we are matching investment with reform; standardising procurement, streamlining specialist services like forensics, and ending the madness of 43 forces purchasing their own cars and uniforms.”

The Home Secretary said: 

“Our Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee is about more than just increasing numbers. It's about rebuilding the vital connection between the public and the police. 

“This marks a return to the founding principles of British policing - where officers are part of the communities they serve. 

“Through this visible, responsive police presence in every neighbourhood, we will restore the trust and partnership that lies at the heart of keeping our communities safe.”

The Prime Minister will outline his plan for doing government differently today; driving forward his Mission-led government with a relentless focus on what matters most to working people, galvanising the government machine to focus its resources to deliver on the milestones he will set out.

The milestones he will set out today are the next phase of Mission delivery. They will be purposefully ambitious and will give Britain the stabilising certainty of a clear destination for the next five years. They will focus on raising living standards, rebuilding Britain, ending hospital backlogs, putting police back on the beat, giving children the best start in life, and securing home-grown energy. 

They will be underpinned by the foundations of good government; economic stability, border security, national security.

The Plan for Change will be accompanied by an ambitious public sector reform programme that will drive forward a more innovative, dynamic and decisive state.

It will allow the public to hold the government to account on delivering on their priorities and will reinstate public trust in politics being a force for good that can improve their lives.

The Prime Minister will say

“My government was elected to deliver change, and today marks the next step. People are tired of being promised the world, but short-term sticking plaster politics letting them down.  

“Hard working Brits are going out grafting every day but are getting short shrift from a politics that should serve them. They reasonably want a stable economy, their country to be safe, their borders secure, more cash in their pocket, safer streets in their town, opportunities for their children, secure British energy in their home, and an NHS that is there when they need it. My Mission-led government will deliver.”

The government has already made significant progress since July; fixing the foundations of the country and kicking off the first steps to deliver real change.

It has made significant progress against the first steps already:

• Prioritising economic stability through the Autumn Budget and prioritising the Budget Responsibility Act as the first bill passed by this government.
• Providing the largest NHS funding settlement since 2010, outside of Covid, to deliver an additional 40,000 extra elective appointments a week – and we are reforming the way the NHS works to do so. 
• Setting up Great British Energy in Aberdeen, with £125 million to start investing in clean-energy projects. We have overturned the ban on onshore wind, approved more nationally significant solar than was delivered under the past 14 years, and seen a record breaking round of renewable projects delivered.
• Establishing a new Border Security Command to smash the gangs, with £150 million in their first year. We have already returned 9,400 people with no right to be here.
• Supporting the recruitment of 6,500 new teachers in England, through increasing the core schools budget of £2.3 billion.

• Cracking down on anti-social behaviour, announcing new Respect Orders and providing funding to support the recruitment of an additional 13,000 officers, PCSOs and special constables in neighbourhood roles.

ENDS

Further info

The Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee will place a renewed focus on preventing the criminality plaguing the streets with visible, accessible officers that will deter offending and reassure locals they will be kept safe. It will have five key principles:   

1. Police back on the beat. A Neighbourhood Policing Team in every local area, with intelligence-led and visible patrols, including in town centres and on high streets. It will ensure these officers are protected from being deployed elsewhere. 
2. Community led. A named, contactable officer for every neighbourhood, responsive to local problems, and residents and businesses having a say on the policing priorities for their area. 
3. Professional excellence. A new career pathway for neighbourhood policing, delivered by the College of Policing, with new standards for professional excellence to ensure neighbourhood policing teams are trained to be proactive problem-solvers.
4. A crackdown on anti-social behaviour. Neighbourhood policing teams equipped with tougher tools, and supported by other agencies, to tackle persistent anti-social behaviour (ASB). This includes the new Respect Order to enable swift enforcement against prolific ASB offenders, and a dedicated lead officer in every force working with communities to develop a bespoke ASB action plan.
5. Safer town centres. A crackdown on shop theft, street theft and assaults against retail workers, so local people can take back their streets from thugs and thieves. 

The Guarantee builds on the founding principles of British policing, emphasising the importance of policing by consent and preventing crime. 

The policing commitments are for England and Wales, policing is devolved in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Stakeholder quotes:

APCC Joint Leads for Local Policing, Chris Nelson (Gloucestershire PCC) and Matt Storey (Cleveland PCC):

“We welcome the government's commitment to restoring neighbourhood patrols and a guarantee of what people can expect from their neighbourhood policing teams. The pledge of a £100 million funding injection demonstrates they understand the value the public places on having more visible local policing in their area.

“Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) know how important neighbourhood policing is to our communities. Residents want to see officers on their streets preventing and robustly tackling the anti-social behaviour, street theft and shoplifting that so devastate areas and that make people feel unsafe. 

“The Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee Framework includes the promise of a dedicated named officer for every neighbourhood, who understands local issues and will be trained to proactively help resolve problems before crimes are committed. On behalf of our communities, PCCs will hold our local forces to account on delivery of this pledge and ensure the quality of officers' interactions with the communities and victims they serve are effective and the impact measurable.”

Sir Andrew Marsh QPM, College of Policing CEO said:

“Neighbourhood policing is a vital foundation of any police force if they are to be effective in cutting crime and helping people feel safe in their communities. I welcome this framework because the evidence on the effectiveness of neighbourhood policing is both strong and compelling.

“The development of this performance framework is underpinned by work the College of Policing has been leading with the National Police Chiefs' Council to support Police and Crime Commissioners and forces. This has been evidence based, focused on ‘what works' and follows the guidelines on neighbourhood policing we developed with frontline practitioners, senior leaders in policing, partner organisations and academics.

“Where there is a targeted, visible presence and community-led problem-solving implemented to a high standard at a local level – and with fairness and respect – this can deliver large and sustained increases in public confidence in the police. An ambition that all of policing wants to see delivered.”

Liz Evans, Chief Commercial Officer, Asda, said:

“Asda welcomes the introduction of the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee and the new role for businesses in shaping local policing priorities.  

"At the heart of communities, retailers see every day the devastating impact retail crime is having on our colleagues and our customers.  The changes introduced today are positive, and Asda stands ready to work in partnership with our new neighbourhood officers to help reduce crime and improve safety in the communities we serve.”

Alistair Macrow, Chief Executive Officer of McDonald's UK, said:

“Addressing and raising awareness of anti-social behaviour is essential in keeping high streets and local communities safe. 

“The government's Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee is therefore a welcome development, bringing investment and dedicated local policing leads that will allow our restaurant teams across the country to work more proactively and effectively with local police teams. 

“However, it is critical that we also work in partnership to understand and address the reasons why anti-social behaviour has been a growing problem. Too many young people are denied access to opportunities in their communities which is why, at McDonald's, we are investing in our ‘Makin It' programme, championing the power of youth work and creating new employment opportunities in every region.” 

Paul Gerrard, Campaigns and Public Affairs Director, Co-op, said:

“As a community-based retailer, the Co-op sees everyday in our stores and in the communities they serve the impact of crime and anti-social behaviour so we welcome the Government's action today which builds on the action they have already announced to tackle retail crime specifically.

“We know from the police partnerships we have across the country that what works is working together - co-operation. So we are delighted to see that at the heart of the Government's approach is not just resource but putting the needs of residents and business at the heart of the police response. 

“At the Co-op we stand ready to help and support to make the communities our members live and work safer and become places that thrive.”