Police funding in South East Wales

Delivered as part of the Welsh Conservatives' motion on 4th March 2009 which noted with concern inconsistencies in Police Funding in Wales

Gwent Police are already £4.3 million in the red. This equates to a possible further loss of 142 officers in a force that is presently 70-80 officers down on numbers. 

This Force has already improved the delivery of police services and restructured the operational organisation to ensure the necessary minimum services are provided as efficiently as possible – realising efficiencies of almost £4million; with a further £1.6million of savings identified and are being implemented.

They are now required to find a further £8.6million savings from the non-operational parts of the organisation by April 2012 (equivalent to a reduction of 12.5% on the costs of these areas).

These additional savings are larger – pro rata – than neighbouring police forces will impact upon their Public Service Delivery; if funding streams are remain as forecast.

The ACPO draw attention to after 10 years of devolution, there has not been a radical policy which addresses the real needs of 'policing in Wales'. They outline a Welsh Assembly Government that has taken a polarised and politically motivated viewpoint.

The ACPO acknowledge that the Assembly Government has given a commitment to 'consider evidence' on policing, and this evidence must be derived from all sectors of policing.

The impact of failing to address this issue is most graphically illustrated by the reality of the position our Police Officers and members of the public are placed – Last Monday night South Wales Police had just 10 response officers to police the entire city centre, all of Cardiff bay and Grangetown.