Wiltshire Police and Crime Commissioner criticises latest government funding settlement
Philip Wilkinson raises concerns about financial shortfalls affecting policing in Wiltshire
Wiltshire and Swindon's Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) says Wiltshire Police is facing another year where it has to find millions of pounds in savings.
It's as PCC Philip Wilkinson, has expressed disappointment and concern over the recent government funding settlement, stating it does not provide sufficient resources for policing in the area.
Mr Wilkinson criticised the funding announcement, highlighting a shortfall of £6.8 million last year and concerns of a similar deficit this year.
According to him, the settlement includes a 4.2% increase in grants, which he believes is undermined by added expectations and inflation in operational costs.
It means he's likely going to need to ask for greater contributions to policing through our council tax, meaning bills could also rise.
The PCC says it's going to make life harder for everyone: " The Government is making life more difficult for PCCs, chief constables and police forces, but saying the answer is we can ask the local taxpayer for more money.
"I'm sorry, that is not the way government should be running."
Central government funding concerns
Mr Wilkinson explained that Wiltshire Police relies heavily on funding from central government, which is supplemented by grants for specific tasks and the council tax precept.
The government’s decision to shift more financial responsibility onto local taxpayers has drawn strong criticism from the commissioner.
The PCC said: “Policing is a central government function, and shoving increases onto our taxpayers is entirely wrong. It’s going to make a lot of residents very angry.”
Wiltshire taxpayers may face council tax increases of at least £15 per year for a Band D home and while the commissioner hopes to limit the increase to £1, circumstances could lead to a request for higher contributions if central funding remains insufficient.
Could fewer Police be on our streets?
The PCC stressed both he and Chief Constable Catherine Roper would take every step possible to ensure the number of officers and staff working within the organisation isn't cut as a result of the funding shortfall.
To help make the savings in the year 2025-2026, the Force closed some of it's buildings and relocated staff to other bases to reduce costs, while also taking steps to ensure its fleet of vehicles was delivering value for money.
Both Mr Wilkinson and Chief Constable Roper insisted that they would protect jobs as much as possible, something the PCC has reiterated.
"I am very much hoping that within Wiltshire Police Force, we will only have to reduce our numbers by natural wastage," he said.
The PCC added that they're focussed on ensuring the Force is getting value for money in all areas: "We've looked at the estate, we've looked at the vehicle holdings and we're going through every contract line by line to make sure that we are not wasting one single penny."
Impact on local policing
The PCC warned of potential consequences of reduced funding, including the termination of contracts for roles funded by additional government grants and limits on service improvements such as the construction of a new police facility.
He fears that unconfirmed additional grants for areas like neighbourhood policing, tackling violence against women and girls, and other duties suggest likely cuts.
He emphasised that Wiltshire Police are focused on maintaining services through efficiency, including reviewing contracts and assets.
The government aims to add new tasks to policing; however, Mr Wilkinson questioned whether these were achievable without the necessary resources, adding: “We are already doing everything we can to reduce crime.
"One crime is one crime too many, and one victim is one victim too many. We don’t need the government to tell us that; we already know that.”
The full financial impact of the funding settlement remains unclear as the government has not finalised grant details.