Police funding "an insult" says local MP

Tony Lloyd MP

Funding allocated to police in Greater Manchester is “an insult”, Rochdale MP Tony Lloyd has said, following a parliamentary debate about the Police Grant Report 2019/20 on Tuesday (5 February).

Since 2010, Greater Manchester has lost a quarter of its police men and women, a net change in funding of almost -£154 million. By comparison, the new grant will only offer Greater Manchester £18 million.

Figures across the UK show that police numbers are already at their lowest in three decades, despite an increase in crime.

In Greater Manchester alone, there has been a reduction of almost 2,000 officers, a 22% reduction since 2010, whilst other areas, such as Surrey, have gained 104 officers in the same period.

Mr Lloyd, who voted against the motion, said: “I am hearing more and more from local people about their concerns surrounding rising crime in Rochdale.

“Police officers come to work to keep our communities safe, but they no longer have the resources to undertake the proactive police work that they used to.

“Nine years of Conservative austerity has stretched our police to breaking point and so Greater Manchester’s political leaders have made the difficult, but I believe, sensible decision, to increase council tax by approximately £24 a year.”

• www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/125818/greater-manchester-communities-to-benefit-from-more-police-officers-after-an-increase-in-council-tax

He continued: “Nobody wants to see their tax increased. It is therefore revealing that 59% of the people asked at the public consultation in January backed the increase in council tax.

“This shows how desperate the situation is becoming and this cannot go on.

“I’m sure everyone in Rochdale will agree that the Conservative Government’s funding is not only unfair, but dangerous.

“A Labour Government will make Britain safer by recruiting 10,000 more police officers as well as 1,000 more security and intelligence staff and 500 more border guards, to counter the growing and unprecedented terror threat.

“Our pledge on neighbourhood policing will reverse the current crisis in our communities and help make people feel safe again.”