West Mercia Police commissioner calls for fair funding
Funding for police needs to be fairer, West Mercia's police and crime commissioner has said.
John Campion said the current funder formula means West Mercia gets £60 per head less from the Government than the West Midlands.
His comments come after The National Audit Office found forces which have financially struggled most in recent years are those which have historically received much larger central funding.
“For years we have had a central funding formula that favours the big, urban areas," Mr Campion said "This has led to people in rural areas having to make significantly higher council tax contributions to fund their local policing service.
"People in West Mercia who pay their taxes deserve a fairer slice of the national settlement. They should not be disproportionately subsidising policing in other areas, such as the West Midlands.
"I will continue working with the Government and lobbying for this change on behalf of our communities. The audit report highlights an important area around sustainability. I do not believe the current funding arrangements are sustainable in the long term."
The average central funding per person in the West Midlands policing area is more than £158. In West Mercia that is just under £97 per person.
That means that Band D council tax bills in West Midlands is only about £128, opposed to £197 in West Mercia.
