WELSH POLICE WOULD BE HIT BY FUNDING CHANGES - WELSH LIB DEMS

4.44.23pm GMT Thu 15th Jan 2009

Speaking ahead of next week's Second Reading of the Policing and Crime Bill, the Welsh Liberal Democrats have warned that Welsh police forces could be left out of pocket by changes to the funding formula.

In the Government's Green Paper "From the neighbourhood to the national: policing our communities together" proposals were included to scrap the floor grant, which guarantees all forces a minimum increase, which is predicted will cost the four Welsh forces approximately £15 million, and the rural policing grant which is estimated would mean Dyfed-Powys and North Wales would lose out on a further £6 million.

Police forces have already expressed concern over potential short-term funding difficulties, with much of this year's budget increases being swallowed up by rising fuel costs and pay awards. Police forces have also suffered because while they used to be able to claim back VAT on petrol, they are not able to claim for the rise in the cost of petrol that was announced in light of the Government's decision to cut VAT to 15%.

Despite the plans to cut medium-term funding for many forces, the Bill will introduce a series of targets through the 'Policing Pledge'. Some rural forces have already declared some of the targets set as impossible for them to achieve such as the 20 minute response time.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary of State for Wales Roger Williams said:

"These changes would make a tight settlement even tighter for Welsh forces, and there is a real worry that there may have to be cuts to frontline services.

"There are already pressures on police budgets because of fuel costs, but now the Government are introducing a raft of targets that could be inappropriate for rural forces, but they expect them to do this with less money than before.

"It is well known that rural forces face particular challenges in policing, and it is deeply worrying that the Government don't seem to be recognising this important fact.

Ceredigion MP Mark Williams added:

"Dyfed-Powys have been praised by the Government for their achievement in finding efficiency measures, so I can't see how they will be able to cut back even further without frontline services suffering.

"They have a very good record, but if there budget keeps being trimmed they will find it harder and harder to maintain this record.

"People in rural areas need visible, neighbourhood policing too, but the forces need to have the necessary funds to achieve this ambition."