Birmingham MP’s statement on police cuts

Press Statement – BIRMINGHAM LABOUR MPs

IMMEDIATE RELEASE 16/12/2010

WEST MIDLANDS POLICE HIT HARDER THAN LOW CRIME SURREY

270 EXPERIENCED OFFICERS TO GO BY MARCH

The West Midlands Police is one of the top two hardest hit in the country. The least hard hit force will be Surrey. As a result of the unfair financial settlement the West Midlands Police Authority have approved implementation of Regulation A19 – which will mean 270 of West Midlands most experienced Police officers will go by March. The Birmingham Labour MPs have released the following statement: “This is a bitter blow for the West Midlands Police and the people they serve. Residents of Birmingham and the West Midlands will be absolutely stunned that their police service is being hit harder than low-crime Surrey. So much for we’re all in this together. “We know that as a result of these cuts there will be fewer bobbies on the beat and their ability to prevent crime, solve cases and protect the public will be diminished.” “Only today, the West Midlands Police Authority have announced that up to 270 of their most experienced Police officers are to go by March, with another 800 police officers expected to be lost in the coming years.” “The West Midlands is a high need area with big challenges for the police and communities alike, and it is being treated less favourably than low-crime Surrey. These cuts risk rising crime, despite the best efforts of the Police service.” “We met with the Police Minister, Nick Herbert, last week to ask for a fair deal for the West Midlands and yet the announcement is worse than feared, with bigger cuts in 2012-2013 than anyone expected. This settlement is completely unfair and unjust, we will continue to pressure the Government to think again” Notes to editors:

1. The headline figure for all police authorities is a reduction in funding in 2011/12 of 5.1% and a further reduction in funding in 2012/13 of 6.7%.

2. This approach further disadvantages WMPA because government grant represents 87% of the total WMPA funding, with council tax making up the remaining 13%. In effect, 87% of WMPA total funding is reducing by 5.1%, equivalent to a reduction in overall resources of 4.1%. This is in stark contrast to an authority with a lower proportion of government grant within their overall funding.

1. The reduction in overall funding for Surrey is just 1.5%, compared to 4.1% for West Midlands due to gearing.

2. Formula damping in 2011/12 lost West Midlands £27m, whereas Surrey gained £4m.

3. Between 2006/07 and 2012/13, West Midlands has lost £279m to formula damping. Over the same period Surrey has gained by £21m.

6. Police authorities are funded through a national funding formula which reflects relative needs of each area, and hence gives a different amount of funding for each authority. However, the Home Office has once more not implemented in full the results of the national funding formula, choosing instead to give the same level of reduction to all authorities. Had the national funding formula been implemented in full, the funding for West Midlands would have been £27m higher in 2011/12, and £23m higher in 2012/13.