Labour call on Tories to guarantee police numbers – Diane Abbott

Ahead of the publication of the 2017/18 provisional Police Grant Report, Labour calls on Government to guarantee no further workforce reductions for the coming year.

Diane Abbott MP, Shadow Home Secretary, commenting on the provisional Police Grant report, said:

“The Tories’ reckless cuts to policing have left the service at breaking point. We have seen a growing chorus of senior figures in policing warn that the current funding settlement is simply not enough to meet the growing demands they face.

“Yet ministers continue to insist that police have the resources they need, and to claim they have protected funding. If the Conservatives truly believe what they are saying then they should have no problem guaranteeing workforce numbers over the coming year.

“Labour in Government will invest in community safety by recruiting 10,000 extra neighbourhood officers and ensure forces have the resources they need.”

Ends

Notes to editors

• Next week sees the publication of the provisional policing budget for next year. An opportunity to the Conservative Party to begin to put right a history of broken promises on policing by setting out a funding settlement which allows forces to at least maintain current staff levels.

• In 2010, Theresa May claimed that “it is possible for the police to make significant reductions in their budgets without affecting frontline policing” (Theresa May, Andrew Marr Show, 31 October 2010).

• She went on to reduce funding to police forces by £2.3 billion (25 per cent) in real-terms between 2010-11 and 2015-16 (NAO, Financial sustainability of police forces, 4 June 2015, https://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Financial-sustainability-of-police-forces.pdf).

•  As a result, policing numbers have fallen to their lowest level since the 1980s, with over 20,000 officers lost – more than 17,000 from the frontline. Over 6,500 Police Community Support Officers have also gone since 2010 (Police Workforce, England and Wales, YE March 2017, 20 July 2017,https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-workforce-england-and-wales-31-march-2017).

• At the Spending Review, the Tories pledged that “there will be no cuts in the police budget at all. There will be real-terms protection for police funding” (George Osborne, Hansard, 25 November 2015, c. 1373, http://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2015-11-25/debates/15112551000003/SpendingReviewAndAutumnStatement).

• In reality direct Government funding to the police has fallen by £413m in real-terms since 2015 (Sun, 23 November 2017, https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/politics/4969204/theresa-may-slashes-413million-from-police-budget-after-vowing-to-protect-cops/)

• Using existing plans* to project forward spending up until 2021-22, we can see that the Tories plan direct government spending on the police in real-terms will fall £800 million over the coming Parliament.

* See: Table 2: Indicative breakdown of the 2015 Spending Review settlement, Police Grant Report England & Wales 2016/17, Written statement HCWS510, 4 February 2016,https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2016-02-04/HCWS510/

• In September, Amber Rudd claimed police had told her they have sufficient resource to deal with the growing counter-terrorism demands they face.

“Every time I have a COBRA, and I chaired one yesterday, I ask the police if they have the resources they need to do their job. And they tell me they have.”

Amber Rudd, Andrew Marr Show, 17 September 2017, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/17091701.pdf

• Three days later, the Head of the NPCC warned that current funding for forces across England and Wales is "no longer enough" and that the counter-terrorism policing budget will be cut by 7% in the next three years. 

"When we respond to the sorts of attacks we saw only a week ago, it's not just our counter-terrorist police units, but the whole system of policing that responds. The current level of terrorism, added to the strain and stress the force is already under, is causing real problems and is frankly unsustainable. After Manchester attack, of the officers and staff that responded, three-quarters were paid for out of mainstream policing."

Chief Constable Sara Thornton, Today Programme, 22 September 2017, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-41356593

• In October, a leaked document from the NPCC and Association of PCCs warned that the Conservative’s cuts to policing were hampering the fight against crime and terrorism (Sunday Times, 29 October 2017, https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/prisoners-gain-vote-in-human-rights-uturn-fwsvkmfqg).

• They called for another £440m in the Budget, warning that current spending plans could mean losing 6,000 police officers and accepting “higher risk for communities” and “a reduction in the service’s resilience to cope with major emergencies”. But the Government provide no new money for policing in the Budget.

• In fact, this year has seen a series of senior policing figures warn about resource levels.

• The National Police Chiefs’ Council’s (NPCC) lead on police finance was clear that the Tories’ “current flat cash settlement for policing means force budgets will fall in real terms” (West Midlands Chief Constable Dave Thompson, NPCC, 23 June 2017, https://news.npcc.police.uk/releases/national-police-chiefs-council-lead-for-finance-chief-constable-dave-thompson).

• In June the Chief Constable of Merseyside warned he didn’t have enough resources to fight gun crime.

“So have I got sufficient resources to fight gun crime? No, I haven’t. I will put all of the resources I have available to it and we will continue to see some excellent convictions of those people involved in gun crime across Merseyside but if I had more staff would I put them to deal with gun crime? Yes I would.”

Chief Constable Andy Cooke, Liverpool Echo , 20 June 2017, http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/merseyside-police-chief-warns-budget-13209393

• In June, the Chief Constable warned of Norfolk warned of dwindling numbers to plug a funding gap.

“My biggest regret is seeing the reduction in the number of officers working in neighbourhoods and in the numbers of police community support officers. It has been incredibly hard - numbers dwindle to plug the funding gap.”

Simon Bailey, Norwich Evening News, 19 June 2017, http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/news/crime/norfolk-s-chief-constable-reveals-his-biggest-regret-after-signing-contract-extension-1-5067063

• By October he had announced plans to scrap all of Norfolk’s 150 PCSOs (Guardian, 20 October 2017,https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/oct/19/norfolk-police-plan-to-axe-all-community-support-officers).

• The Chief Constable of Lancashire said people were less safe because of cuts to policing.

"I would suggest, and I say this with a heavy heart, that they are less safe because of the money and people taken out of policing."

Steve Finnigan, Lancashire Tele, 17 June 2017,http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/15353580.Lancashire__39_s_top_cop_have_warned___39_cracks_are_now_appearing__39__in_the_service_because_of_tough_government_cuts/

• The Met have warned that having to find £400m in savings against a backdrop of growing demand would lead to further officer losses.

“The counter-terrorism network is certainly stretched. They have now had four major attacks to deal with and also disrupted a number – five – of other plots. Those all take a great deal of backward-looking investigative resources and it takes potentially away from the proactive and forward-looking intelligence work. It is inevitable that without further assistance our police officer numbers will drop.”

Cressida Dick, London Assembly, 21 June 2017, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4627208/I-ll-cut-bobbies-without-cash-says-Cressida-Dick.html#ixzz4koaBeArk

• The Chief Constable of Leicestershire wrote to all his local MPs warning that the Tories’ promise to “protect” spending would see the force loss a further £10 million over coming years.

“We are looking at a potential cut in funding of £10 million, having already taken £38 million out of our budget. We spend most of our money on people and that can only mean we will get smaller at a time when our population is growing very rapidly. I shall be sending the letter off to the MPs and look forward to meeting with all of them.

Chief Constable Simon Cole, Leicester Mercury, 10 June 2017, http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/chief-urges-mps-to-fight-for-fair-funding-for-leicestershire-police/story-30382754-detail/story.html#F3PwHFrT6jjhwwQi.99

• The Chief Constable of West Yorkshire has concerns about long-term sustainability under the Tories’ current spending plans.

“I am extremely proud of my officers and staff, many of who are exhausted, having worked incredibly long hours to meet demand and manage large scale incidents in the past few months. However, our resources will only stretch so far and my concern is just how sustainable this in the long term, without an uplift in funding and resources.”

Dee Collins, Yorks. Post, 23 June 2017, http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/crime/cuts-are-piling-extra-pressure-on-my-exhausted-officers-says-west-yorkshire-chief-constable-1-8612078

• While Northumbria’s Chief Constable warned that his force was close to breaking point.

“Officers have had their leave days cancelled, that is not unusual, and it is having an impact. If the day of not being able to provide a professional service was here I would say. It is not here, but it is getting very, very close,”

Steve Ashman, Newcastle Chronicle, 8 September 2017, http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/northumbria-police-close-breaking-point-13588658

• In September, instead of accepting the Police Remuneration Review Body’s recommendation of a fully-funded 2% pay rise, the Tories only offered a 1% pay increase and further 1% one-off lump sum to be paid for by police forces themselves. 

• This led the Chief Constable of the Prime Minister’s local force that staffing and service levels could suffer as a result.

"On average, police officer pay makes up over 50% of total force budgets, which have had real terms cuts of 18% since 2010. Police chiefs have budgeted in line with the public sector pay cap until 2020 so this change puts financial pressure on already stretched budgets. Without better real terms funding protection from Government, an award above 1% will inevitably impact on our ability to deliver policing services and maintain staffing levels."

National Police Chiefs' Council lead for pay and conditions, Chief Constable Francis Habgood, Telegraph, 13 September 2017,http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/09/12/breaking-government-announces-end-1-per-cent-cap-public-sector/

• Avon & Somerset’s Chief Constable says his force has reached a “tipping-point”.

“Our .. continuing ability to safeguard communities, protect the vulnerable, and manage major incidents of this kind is being severely tested. It’s simply not sustainable. In times of rising costs, increased pressure and minimal pay increases, vocation is no longer always enough. We’ve reached a tipping point. There are serious choices to be made and we don’t believe we can or should make those alone. We believe the time has come for others to share the risk, and budget decisions and future choices about funding should be made in the full knowledge of what they are.”

Andy March, Avon Gazette, 19 September 2017,http://www.gazetteseries.co.uk/news/15543338.Avon_and_Somerset_police_facing__financial_tipping_point__due_to_cuts/

• Even Conservative PCCs recognise the damage their own Government is doing to policing.

• Suffolk’s PCC said his force’s ability to keep people safe was in jeopardy.

“There are times in life when democratically elected leaders face extremely difficult decisions on behalf of their constituents and as Suffolk’s Police and Crime Commissioner I am in such a situation. I am not seeking to be alarmist but the ability of Suffolk Constabulary to deliver an effective service, keeping communities safe and maintain public confidence is in serious jeopardy. This is due largely to financial pressure caused by the current Home Office funding regime, which for years has had an inbuilt bias against large rural counties like Suffolk.”

Tim Passmore, Bury Free Press, 28 September 2017, http://www.buryfreepress.co.uk/news/suffolk-police-ability-to-keep-community-safe-in-jeopardy-says-pcc-1-8171340

• The PCC for Cumbria accused ministers of making unfunded commitments on police pay.

“Here in Cumbria, as probably with the rest of the country, policing is stretched, there is no question about that. The police pay award .. you know I’m pleased that the police did breach the 1% pay cap, but it was unfunded by government. I think that was a mistake. I have told the policing minister that and I hope that is a message the PM gets too. Our public services have to be reasonable funded if we are to keep the public safe.”

David McCall, ITV News, 30 September 2017, http://www.itv.com/news/border/update/2017-09-30/call-for-police-funding-for-cumbria-to-be-increased/

• In West Mercia the Tory PCCs warned that the pay award might cost jobs.

“A one per cent pay increase, costs West Mercia around £1 million, the equivalent of around 25 officers. The funding has to come from somewhere and there is a risk that by using it for pay increases, it leaves gaps elsewhere, which could potentially lead to reductions in officer and staff numbers.

John Campion, Conservative PCC for West Mercia, Shropshire Star, 13 September 2017,.https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2017/09/13/pay-cap-increase-would-cost-shropshires-police-force-1-million/#KSyUGtEEDV7RM2ps.99

• In Hampshire, chief constable Olivia Pinkney and Police and Crime Commissioner Michael Lane joined forces to highlight a funding shortfall of £13m per year by 2021 (Romsey Advertiser, 18 January 2017, http://www.romseyadvertiser.co.uk/news/15030956.WATCH__Crime_chiefs_warn_lack_of_funding_puts_Hampshire_s_police_services_at_risk/).

• The PCC for North Yorkshire does not agree with the Home Secretary and Prime Minister that police budgets have been protected over this Parliament.

“The risk and reality of reduced funding is one that the organisation has been managing for the past 6 years and one that is likely to continue for the next 3 years as a minimum.”

Joint independent audit committee, Police and Crime Commissioner for North Yorkshire and North Yorkshire Police, 13 December 2016,https://www.northyorkshire-pcc.gov.uk/content/uploads/2016/12/AUTUMN-STATEMENT-AND-FUNDING-FORMULA-REPORT.pdf

• Conservative PCCs from Kent complained that the Government’s cuts to other public services add further strain on police resources.

“Around one-third of all Kent Police time is spent dealing with cases involving mental health. We have to do something about it. It cannot continue. It is more often than not the reason why police officers are taken away from frontline policing, instead spending their time waiting for Section 136 suites to become available and sitting around waiting for patients to be seen in A&E. It’s not fair on the officers and staff themselves and it means that local communities miss out because their frontline officers are being taken away to deal with mental health cases when there should be someone else supporting that individual.”

Matthew Scott, PCC for Kent, Kent News, 29 March 2017,http://www.kentnews.co.uk/news/kent_police_cells_will_not_be_used_to_detain_children_under_mental_health_act_insists_pcc_1_4953549

• The Tory PCCs for Wiltshire, Cambridgeshire, and Devon & Cornwall all say they face a gap in funding over the coming years

“This decision will leave me with a funding gap of £3.719m in 2017-18. This year I intend using reserves of £1.439m to close the gap to £2.280m. The Chief Constable is currently producing a plan to identify efficiencies and savings to enable a balanced budget.”

Angus McPherson, Salisbury Journal, 6 February 2017,http://www.salisburyjournal.co.uk/news/15072640.Police_to_increase_council_tax_as_government_slashes_force_s_funding/ 

“In real terms this is a reduction in funding”

Angus McPherson, Wiltshire Police MTFS 2017-18 to 2020-21, January 11^th 2017, p13,http://cms.wiltshire.gov.uk/documents/g10122/Public%20reports%20pack%2011th-Jan-2017%2010.00%20Wiltshire%20Police%20and%20Crime%20Panel.pdf?T=10

“As set out in Appendix 1 the projected budget gap in the three years 2018/19 to 2020/21 is a further £8.8m”

Jason Ablewhite, PCC for Cambridgeshire, Police Precept Report 2017/18, 1 February 2017, www.cambridgeshire-pcc.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/.../CPCC-2017-003-Precept.pdf

Over the next four years it is anticipated that expenditure will still need to reduce by £9.8m (3.4%) in order to fill the gap shown in Table 11 above.”

Alison Hernandez, PCC for Devon and Cornwall, Proposed Precept, Budget and Medium Term Financial Strategy 2017/18 - 2020/21, 3 February 2017,https://devonandcornwall.s3.amazonaws.com/Documents/About%20Us/What%20we%20spend/PCP_REP_Precept%20Budget2017-18%20-%20VERSION%20five.pdf

• Sussex’s PCC agreed that her force still faced a shortfall and revealed she had been lobbying the Government to increase their core funding.

“Whilst the pay award is modest, it does have implications for our already squeezed police budgets. Based on current assumptions in our medium term financial strategy, Sussex Police will still have to save £26 million over the next four years. That is why I - and other PCCs - have been negotiating with Government for enhanced core police grant funding, as well as asking for the removal of the current cap on the police precept element of council tax.”

Katy Bourne, PCC for Sussex, Chichester Obs, 23 September 2017, http://www.chichester.co.uk/news/politics/pay-award-for-police-officers-insulting-1-8163336

In Staffordshire, the PCC has questioned the credibility of the Tories’ current policing budget.

However, the world we are now living in, especially post the Manchester and London terrorist attacks, means it is not credible that current budgets can maintain the increased levels of police resources required for what is likely to be a long period in Staffordshire, and I’m sure elsewhere.”

Matthew Ellis, Expr & Star, 24 June 2017, https://www.expressandstar.com/news/crime/2017/06/24/police-budgets-cannot-cope-in-wake-of-terror-attacks-says-staffordshire-crime-boss/#peMwJDZ3TDEZ8V2d.99

• While in Lincolnshire, the PCC said he would still have a funding gap if he sacked every PCSO in the force.  

“To put this into perspective, if we got rid of all the PCSOs in Lincolnshire tomorrow, we’d still have another £1 million to find out of that £3 million ... 80% of our funding is spent on frontline police officers so if you have to take millions of pounds out of your budget, that affects the number of people in your organisation. That being said, you can do things much better if you invest in the right technologies, you can deliver more hours on the street for police officers.”

Marc Jones, PCC for Lincolnshire, Lincs Reporter, 31 March 2017, http://thelincolnite.co.uk/2017/03/police-on-the-line-if-vital-government-funding-does-not-materialise-pcc-warns/