Police Boss: 'Insufficient funding causes insufficient policing'

Thursday, 10 April 2025 18:38

By David Harber

The Government's 'Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee' does not address years of police underfunding says the county's Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC).

It follows today's Commons announcement that the government will put 13,000 more officers into communities across the UK in the next 4 years.

In England and Wales, the percentage of crimes that resulted in a charge or court summons was a paltry 5.7%, and according to the Criminal Justice Inspectorates, only just over 1 in 10 of all recorded offences were brought to justice in Wiltshire.

The PCC for Wiltshire and Swindon, Philip Wilkinson said in response to the Prime Minister's 'Policing Guarantee', “Whilst I welcome the Government’s commitment to neighbourhood policing, there is very little in the Government’s new Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee that Chief Constable Roper has not already actioned.

“Wiltshire and Swindon’s residents will benefit from this neighbourhood policing grant, but it does not address the years of underfunding of Wiltshire Police caused by the national police funding formula that means Wiltshire Police continues to be the third lowest funded police force per head of population in the country.

“Without adequate core funding from the Home Office to deliver the basics and business as usual of policing, the policing postcode lottery will inevitably continue to exist until a fairer funding formula is established that ensures those who live and work in Wiltshire and Swindon get the policing service they rightly deserve and expect.”

Critics surmise that despite today's announcement, 'community policing is just a small part of the job' to make our streets safe. Earlier this year, Wiltshire Police had already suggested they'd find £5.2m a year in savings.