Major Cash Boost for Policing in the United Kingdom

£10 billion ($20 billion) per year will be going into policing for the fight against crime by 2010/11, the Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, said today. The Home Secretary has announced the police funding settlement for the three years from 2008/09, to give police authorities the certainty on which to plan for the future.

Police forces across England and Wales are to benefit from an increase in Government funding of 2.9% in 2008/09 with a total revenue grant of £9,227m. The general grant funding base level will be set at 2.5% for the next three years so that each police authority in England and Wales is guaranteed an increase of at least this level in each year. Funding for neighborhood policing will increase by an average of 2.7% each year.

This settlement demonstrates the Government’s commitment to preventing and tackling crime, and driving stronger partnerships to make our communities safer.

The funding will be backed by a program of reform to streamline processes and further improve working practices to increase the productivity and accountability of the police.

A key part of the National Community Safety Plan, published today, is cutting red tape and giving more flexibility to police and their local crime fighting partners. Police and local partners will together prioritize their work to concentrate resources on the issues that matter most to local communities.

The Government will also introduce, from 2008/09 onwards, the new Assessments of Policing and Community Safety framework which will monitor and asses the crime reduction and community safety work of the police and their partners.

The Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, said “Historically high numbers of police, supported by 16,000 Police Community Support Officers, are delivering real changes on the ground, fighting crime and making communities feel safer. The roll-out of neighborhood policing by next April will embed those improvements across the country, with every area covered.”

In another boost, police officers are to receive a 2.5% pay award. From 1 December 2007, all police constables will be paid more than £21,500, with those with the longest service receiving over £33,800 a year.

Net News Publisher