MP welcomes funding boost for Beds Police, with safety key concern for voters
Alex Mayer is hoping government funding can increase the number of neighbourhood police officers, key to public safety
Bedfordshire Police is set to receive a budget increase of 6.6%, bringing its total funding to £167 million, in a move aimed at enhancing neighbourhood policing and tackling crime more effectively.
The funding boost, announced by the Government, has been welcomed by local MP Alex Mayer as a "vital first step" in improving public safety.
Ms Mayer, who represents the Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard constituency, highlighted the importance of reinvesting in neighbourhood policing.
She said: "This is a 6.6% increase compared to last year and the key thing that the government is keen for this money to be invested in is into neighbourhood policing, so people who get to know their patch and can talk to local people, local business owners and get a real understanding of what's going on.
"Because I think that that's been lost over the last sort of 10-15 years, and I think when you find good examples of that, it makes a real difference.
So it's that model of neighbourhood policing that it's time to get back to again."
Bedfordshire has long struggled with high crime rates, and Ms Mayer emphasised the need for a county-wide approach to policing, not just focusing on urban centres like Bedford and Luton.
"We've got a new Police and Crime Commissioner, John Tizard, and I know that absolutely he cares about tackling crime in both Bedford and Luton," she said.
"But there are definitely more places than that, not least, Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard, Houghton Regis. And I have to say that when I talk to people, crime really is up there alongside the NHS as an issue of big concern."
Ms Mayer identified key crime concerns frequently raised by her constituents, including shoplifting, antisocial use of off-road bikes, and mobile phone theft.
She highlighted that Bedfordshire has the second-highest rate of mobile phone theft in the country, after London.
Animal crime was also raised as a concern, citing a recent case in which two pet cats were shot in her constituency.
The MP also reaffirmed her commitment to supporting the Crime and Policing Bill, which aims to strengthen police powers, including shutting down a legal loophole that allows shoplifters to avoid prosecution for thefts under £200.
The bill would also introduce a new standalone offence for assaults on shop workers and ensure that every neighbourhood has a dedicated, contactable officer.
Ms Mayer stressed that securing proper funding for Bedfordshire policing has been a long-standing issue and that MPs across the county have been working collectively to address the funding gap.
"She said: "It's been a very long-running saga that Bedfordshire has historically been treated more as a rural area when it comes to funding, and yet there are some very clear pockets of the county where, if you're driving through it, it definitely feels much more like an urban area.
"It can feel like a borough of London, and yet the funding doesn't necessarily match that."
Ms Mayer pledged to continue working closely with Mr Tizard and fellow MPs to push for additional resources to ensure safer communities across the county.
The Police and Crime Commissioner for Bedfordshire is further expected to release the force's funding plan for the year to come, later today (February 5).