WIREDGOV

Joy Allen, APCC Joint Finance Lead and PCC for Durham, responds to the police funding settlement

“Police and Crime Commissioners and Deputy Mayors recognise the financial constraints that the government is operating under. We also acknowledge the funding being given to partly cover the last year’s pay award in part, and ringfenced resources to invest in the government’s planned additional 13,000 neighbourhood policing officers. However, to fully fund the nationally agreed pay award and deliver other policing and crime priorities, the government’s expectation is that PCCs and their equivalents will apply the full policing precept permitted for 2025/26, by increasing council tax bills.

“Whilst the financial pressures will differ between force areas, we will all experience the impact on policing. PCCs will have to balance the need to respond to local policing and crime priorities with the wider financial pressures on the service and on households. 

“PCCs remain committed to delivering the best policing service to the public and to working with government to reform and improve policing.”