Warning of further police budget cuts issued

Labour PCC Simon Foster is planning to raise council tax next year in the face of a projected budget shortfall of £7 million in 2022-23.

Mr Foster, who sparked fury after announcing the closure of more than 20 police stations and bases to save money, said that further efficiencies were on the cards.

It follows a long-running row over police funding and performance in the West Midlands between Conservative and Labour politicians.

Labour have repeatedly blamed the region's sky high crime rate on Government cuts, which Tory MPs say were necessary after Labour "blew the credit card" in the financial crash.

Mr Foster said the Government's latest funding settlement – a rise of almost £40 million – proved there was "no levelling-up for West Midlands Police".

He said: "The Government has also instructed PCCs to look closely at efficiencies in order to make a further £80 million of cost savings across the country.

"I trust local elected politicians will not forget this instruction over the coming months."

Mr Foster's comments came after policing minister Kit Malthouse accused Labour of having "set back" policing in the West Midlands with poor decisions.

Mr Malthouse described the call for more cash as a "naked political manoeuvre", and said Labour MPs were fully aware that annual police budgets were based on a funding formula set in law.

He said other forces were "doing better" than West Midlands Police, with Kent and London set to have more officers than they did in 2010 once the current recruitment programme is complete.

West Midlands Police is set to get more than 1,200 extra officers by 2023, which Mr Foster says leaves the force around 1,000 short of its 2010 figure.