Wiltshire PCC lobbies Prime Minister candidates on fairer funding for rural forces
He says it was acknowledged by both
Wiltshire and Swindon’s PCC Philip Wilkinson has been taking part in briefings this week with both potential Conservative Leader candidates, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak.
He's been ensuring fairer police funding for rural forces, and a review of the current formula, top of the agenda for the country’s politicians.
When speaking to the pair vying to become the new Prime Minister, Mr Wilkinson raised this funding disparity, which he says was acknowledged and supported by both.
The PCC says rural police forces are left significantly disadvantaged by the current funding formula used by central government and has been lobbying for change with other PCCs.
Philip said now was the time for the next Prime Minister to shake up the police service funding.
He said:
“The current funding formula is grossly unfair to rural forces and to rural residents who are bearing the brunt of this outdated policy.
“This means there is less money per head of population to fight crime and provide the quality policing service that officers want to deliver and that residents want to be on the receiving end of.
“Modern-day policing has seen increased demand without funding increasing to deal with the ever-changing policing landscape. This formula hasn’t been revisited since it was first overhauled by Labour in the 90s to favour more urban areas and now it is time for the next UK Prime Minister to commit to change to benefit all.”
'Urban area crimes are also felt here'
Mr Wilkinson says that just because we live in a rural county, it doesn't mean that urban area crimes aren't felt here.
He added that he believes the policy is outdated:
“The current funding formula is grossly unfair to rural forces and to rural residents who are bearing the brunt of this outdated policy.
“This means there is less money per head of population to fight crime and provide the quality policing service that officers want to deliver and that residents want to be on the receiving end of.
“Modern-day policing has seen increased demand without funding increasing to deal with the ever-changing policing landscape. This formula hasn’t been revisited since it was first overhauled by Labour in the 90s to favour more urban areas and now it is time for the next UK Prime Minister to commit to change to benefit all.
"Crime doesn’t stop at county boundaries - Wiltshire has problems with county lines drugs, with modern slavery, with cyber crime and fraud alongside increasing domestic abuse, serious sexual offences and child sexual exploitation, just as urban areas do.
“Granted we may not see the same scale of crime here but Wiltshire Police needs to have the means necessary to deliver a quality policing service which tackles crimes which matter to our communities."