Devon and Cornwall Police praised for exposing funding failings

Devon and Cornwall police have been praised for exposing failings in government funding.

It follows a campaign by police commissioner Tony Hogg who claimed the force was being short-changed. That led to the government abandoning its formula for grants.

Following the campaign, it was revealed Home Office officials made serious errors in calculating the funding allocations for police force areas.

These errors resulted in forces who had been advised they would be “winners” under the new funding allocation finding they are in fact facing cuts, and vice versa.

The Commons Home Affairs Committee has now called on an independent panel of accounting firms, financial experts and the College of Policing to be appointed to assist the Home Office in formulating revised proposals.

In a report the committee says the Home Office needs to recognise full range of the demand on police, including:

• The increase in non-crime demand on police, arising from cuts to other public services.

• Increasingly diverse communities across the country, and specific local demands created by ports, airports and tourist areas.

• New and emerging crimes such as cyber-crime, child sexual exploitation and radicalisation.

• Counter-terrorism resources.

Tony Hogg, Devon and Cornwall’s Police and Crime Commissioner welcomed the calls for an independent panel.