Cambridgeshire and Peterborough could face police cuts

Police cuts in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough could be made if public sector organisations are not protected from increases in employers’ National Insurance contributions.

The impact would be felt on the frontline

It comes as the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Police and Crime Commissioner wrote an open letter to the home secretary which said:

'Overall, the combination of the employers’ national insurance increases together with the pay award has left the Constabulary's finances underfunded by over £1m for 2025/26. This is the direct impact of an unfair funding formula and the decision by the Home Office to allocate funds using the core grant formula.'

'It is fair to say that this is not the first time I have raised this issue. I have previously written to the Home Office regarding the unfairness of a funding formula which uses outdated information and does not reflect the actual demands faced by individual policing areas. Since the formula was set, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough’s population has grown by 11%, and is forecast to grow, much faster than the national average. At the same time, there are areas of the country which have maintained the same level of population, and some areas who have seen their population reduce. Yet the way funding is allocated using the existing formula has not changed. As such, Cambridgeshire remains the fourth lowest funded force in the country.'

I might have to ask the local residents to make up for that shortfall

The Police and Crime Commissioner is urging the government to reconsider how funding is given out.

Daryl Preston said:

"It has a real impact on our local tax payers as well because I'm in a precarious position where I might have to ask the local residents to make up for that shortfall which is something I really don't want to be doing."

"If we are £1 million short then that will have to be found somewhere."

"Ultimately, we wouldn't want to cut police, but if 80% of our budget is going on people, then that's something that we would have to look at." 

"When I speak to residents and people in the community, they want to see more police not less."

"I think the impact would be felt on the frontline."

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