Sureena Brackenridge welcomed the Government’s efforts to strengthen neighbourhood policing in Wolverhampton and said there were now 27 additional roles and officers newly allocated or moved back into neighbourhood roles.

But she also pointed to the overall decline in officer numbers over the last 15 years.

Ms Brackenridge, who was first elected as an MP in the General Election in July 2024, said: “Fourteen years of cuts have left West Midlands Police with around 700 few officers than in 2010 and a funding formula that short-changes our region by £40 million every year.”

She called upon Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, who is also the Labour MP for Ladywood, to review the funding formula so that her constituency can have the same level of neighbourhood policing and security as other parts of the country.

But Ms Mahmood was unable to make that commitment and instead said decisions on police force funding allocations would be made via the police funding settlement later this year.

Jess Davies, chair of West Midlands Police Federation, welcomed the fact that the issues the Force was facing in terms of reduced officer numbers and the unfair funding formula were being raised in the House of Commons, but was disappointed that the Home Secretary could not give a more positive response.

“I am pleased to hear that one of our MPs has spoken up and raised these concerns,” says Jess, “We are all too well aware of the impact the overall reduction in police officer numbers has not just on the policing service we are able to provide to our communities but also on our members who are in effect trying to do more with less which can put them under pressure physically and mentally.

Budgets

“In the 15 years since police budgets were slashed there has been an incredible widening of police officers’ remit. They are not just expected to fight and prevent crime but are also called upon to fill the gaps in other over-stretched services and organisations.

“Policing is the service that can never say no, but we just don’t have the numbers of officers to go around to meet all the competing demands placed upon us.

“Key to this, of course, is funding and as it stands the funding formula used to work out the money we receive is leaving us completely underfunded. Just imagine what we could achieve with the £40 million that we are missing out on?

“I hope the Home Secretary is able to offer more positive news when the settlement is announced.”