Government funding formula fails Hertfordshire Police

Anne Main comments on Hertfordshire Police funding.

Following recent announcements on Hertfordshire Police funding, Anne Main, MP for St Albans, said:

“I have regular meetings with the Chief Constable and I am only too aware how difficult these funding decisions can be. Sadly, the funding formula has always disadvantaged Hertfordshire, and in these hard economic times it is no surprise that the Government’s lack of attention to Hertfordshire is leading to cuts.

Only so much can be done in the name of efficiency-savings and unfortunately that means that our police service will be facing a tough time. I am concerned that it appears around 100 posts will be lost and even though we are told that the majority of jobs will be from back-office staff, this must still have a significant impact on Hertfordshire Constabulary.

The failed consultation to merge three forces the Government tried to impose in 2006 was a prime example of the Government wasting taxpayers money, with at least £1 million spent on employing outside consultants. The new merger proposals are a direct result of the need to make savings, and this must, therefore, be done economically. We cannot see a repeat of the millions wasted on another failed consultation.

I know how hard our local police work and community police officers are very valued by local people and extra burdens of red tape have seriously hampered our police. The failure of government to sufficiently fund our police force has inevitably led us to this position. After all, there is only so much that can be taken from the poor council-tax payer.”