Gloucestershire PCC police officer pledge reduced
PCC Chris Nelson originally pledged 300 officers would join the force
Gloucestershire’s Police and Crime Panel today unanimously backed Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Chris Nelson’s plans for an increase in council tax that will enable him to continue his ambitious rebuilding programme.
An increase of 3.7% will add £10 to a band D householder’s annual bill, the equivalent of just under 20p per week and raise an extra £3.1m.
Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Chris Nelson said, “"My first budget will the see the biggest increase in police officers and staff in a generation.
"Over the next two financial years the Constabulary will increase in size by more than 400 personnel, split roughly 50:50 between full time and volunteer officers and staff.
"The £10 rise in council tax takes account of the pressures on household finances and is much lower than the £13.9 average annual increase over the last few years.
"In year one of the national Uplift Programme, 2020/21, the Constabulary increased the number of officers by 46; the current year is on target to recruit a further 46 officers and over the next twelve months we will recruit another 61.
"I am grateful for the Police and Crime Panel’s strong endorsement. Planning this budget has been a challenge having inherited a substantial deficit.
"Reserves had been depleted, ICT infrastructure and systems required updating and Her Majesty’s Inspectorate had identified areas requiring urgent improvement. On top of that, the Constabulary is one of the worst-funded in the country, relying on council tax to make up the shortfall, and yet council tax increases have been limited."
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Fall in number of Gloucestershire Police officers despite PCC's pledge of extra 300 recruits
PCC Chris Nelson pledged an extra 300 "bobbies on the beat" after being elected last May - with 154 of those officers coming from the Government's Uplift Programme.
But the data shows 23 officers have left the force since Mr Nelson was elected in May.
He now claims 102 full time officers will be brought in, the rest being made up by specials and volunteers.
It's despite PCC Nelson's claims that he was able to deliver on his original place.
It's been revealed 2.4% of Gloucestershire Police officers left the force last year.
30 officers left between January and December 2021 according to data from the Home Office.
Chief Constable Rod Hansen said, “I support the Government’s commitment to increasing the number of police officers nationally by 20,000, and I would have welcomed the ability of the PCC to invest further beyond the £10 maximum that is allowed without a Referendum.
“I welcome the planning certainty offered by a three year overall settlement for policing whilst hoping that the national funding formula review adequately recognises the difficulties of small rural forces and the way crime has changed in character and volume in recent years.
“Online frauds and violence against women and girls are system wide issues which require a similar level of policing, particularly in relation to prevention, independent of population size.”
Cllr Paul Hodgkinson, Liberal Democrat Group Leader says PCC Nelson "must deliver on his promise" to putting extra officers on the streets.
He said: "There are less officers on the beat on our streets in Gloucestershire at a time when people are still worried about crime.
"When that pledge was made I think people liked it but it isn't materialising and sadly it's going in the wrong direction.
“From my figures he's got to recruit another 68 officers by the end of March this year. I'd be delighted if he does but it looks unrealistic at this moment in time I'm afraid."