Staffordshire Police saved from sweeping cuts
Staffordshire Police has been saved from from being forced into sweeping cut-backs next year after the government froze the amount given to the force.
The Home Office funding grants for UK police forces will see the force get £118.4m for 2016/17 – the same as for 2015/16.
But when factoring in inflation it will equate to a cut of between two and five per cent.
Initial estimates had feared the potential cuts would be nearer to 20 per cent forcing a wave of controversial cost-saving measure.
Staffordshire's Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Ellis welcomed the news and admitted he had feared the worst.
He said: "The settlement amount is not entirely clear but, in Staffordshire, we had planned and prepared for 20 per cent cuts over the next four years and we were on the way to achieving that whilst minimising the effect on frontline policing.
"It looks as though, from the grant settlement figures released, that for Staffordshire the result is a much smaller cut in funding from Government of between two per cent and five per cent.
"I have prioritised stabilising the budget, driving efficiencies and spending public money more effectively and efficiently, since being elected.
"It is absolutely crucial that we are clear that the reforms to policing, including investing in technology to meet new challenges, new crimes and new threats continue and this settlement provides some financial respite.
"However, it is also about spending the money available as effectively as possible, before asking local people for any extra."
Staffordshire Police has already managed to save saved £38 million since 2011 with cuts being made to officer numbers and underused rural police stations being forced to close resulting in tens of job losses.
The force had planned to save another £38m by 2020 but has in the past been accused of squandering much needed cash.
Earlier this month a police union criticised the force's announcement that it was spending nearly £200,000 of tax-payers money on a four-year deal with a private IT company to set up and manage its new website.
A spokesman for the Police Federation said resources should be focused on strengthening front-line policing and putting more boobies on the beat.
In announcing the latest funding budgets earlier this month Mike Penning, the minister of state for policing, crime and criminal justice said: "Police officers have been taken out of back office roles and resources focused on front line delivery, putting officers back on the streets."
