‘We need long-term funding settlements’

10 February 2022

Policing should receive a multi-year financial settlement rather than yearly funding announcements, according to the Police Federation.

The calls for urgent reform in the way funding is handled have been backed by Derbyshire Police Federation chair Tony Wetton who accused the Government of “robbing Peter to pay Paul” with its 2022/23 settlement.

Tony spoke out as the Government revealed its financial commitment to policing for the forthcoming financial year was going up £1.1 billion from the previous 12-month period to a total of £16.9 billion.

He said: “That £1.1 billion rise is already spoken for in higher energy and fuel costs and increased employer National Insurance contributions. But none of that has been taken into account has it?

“The fact is the Government is giving with one hand and taking away with the other - robbing Peter to pay Paul - and in the meantime our members are left facing the same challenging issues surrounding increased demand and high workloads, insufficient officer numbers and poor levels of morale and wellbeing.

“Policing has been through a tough time in recent years and unfortunately this funding deal will do very little to help.  The public and Police Officers in Derbyshire deserve better.”

Tony said he fully supported calls for a multi-year financial settlement which would give forces a better opportunity to plan for the future.

Police Federation national vice-chair Ché Donald says: “As the Government announces the 2022/23 funding settlement for policing, the Police Federation of England and Wales continues to call for a more sustainable multi-year settlement, rather than year upon year funding.

“The Government must consider a sustained multi-year funding settlement for policing, which will allow forces to make long-term strategic plans to respond to the changing nature of crime and support communities.

“The ability to plan past the next year will enable forces to achieve better procurement deals and to see overall costs come down.

“Without the ability to search for better deals due to the uncertainty of what is to come year after year, the 2022/23 marginal increase will get lost in the high day to day costs that forces are currently incurring.

“One-year financial settlements do not work and forces shouldn’t have to operate on a ‘hand-to-mouth’ basis.

“Over the last decade, the police service has been hit hard by budget cuts and it needs more than a one-year cash injection to put things right. What is desperately needed is long-term, genuine investment in policing.”