This in from the office of Police and Crime Commissioner Michael Lane. Ed
Latest HMIC reports highlight the efficiency and value for money of Hampshire Constabulary, but there are risks ahead.
Michael Lane, Police and Crime Commissioner, said:
“I welcome the latest HMIC report identifying the Value for Money test of its performance and measured across the country.
“I congratulate the Chief Constable and her team for all the professional hard work that has been required to deliver for our communities. The HMIC identifies that ‘Hampshire Constabulary is GOOD, forward looking, and challenging of itself in seeking improvement and further efficiencies.”
Fairer funding vital
He went on to say,
“But this local, Constabulary focus and successful delivery needs national support to continue to deliver for our communities. Not widely enough known by the community is the need for a new National Funding Formula – and soon. My funding is less than it should be to protect the people of Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton.
“From day one I have said I will fight to make the national funding formula fairer for all nationally – because if it is fairer overall, my communities will benefit from their fair share of resource to support the national safety requirements that are funded via the national tax formula.”
Second lowest for funding
Mr Lane added,
“This latest HMIC Value for Money report only serves to highlight the disparity of funding of forces across the country, with Hampshire £44.8m under the national average for funding – the second lowest.
“I am pleased that the Government & the Minister of State for Policing and the Fire Service, Brandon Lewis, have this firmly on their agenda. My advocacy to the Minister was that if the new formula cannot be finally agreed soon, then some balancing is needed to deliver equity of resource in support of my communities as an interim measure.
“In congratulating my Constabulary for its recognition in the latest HMIC reports, I want to reiterate my promise, to the community and them, that I will continue to fight for fairer funding so that the residents of Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton have a force that is adequately and fairly funded to meet their needs – and necessary to deliver the operationally effective policing we need for the future.”
