Greater Manchester Police are facing a real-term cut of £6.93m next year, the Liberal Democrats have revealed.

Before Christmas the government announced that core funding for police budgets will remain exactly the same as last year. Taking into account inflation, that means Greater Manchester Police will face a real-terms cut of £6.93m.

GM Police Face More Real-Term Cuts

 

The additional £270m of funding the government claims to be investing in the police nationally depends entirely on local Police and Crime Commissioners raising the police precept in their areas, which the Liberal Democrats have branded a “stealth council tax rise”.

Lib Dem Councillor for Hazel Grove, Jon Twigge commented:

“We have been having quite an anti social behaviour problem here in Hazel Grove over the last few months. The police tell me they don’t have the numbers to get out on the street to stop it quickly. Instead, our hard working local officers have to follow an intelligence led approach which they say does work well but it takes a lot longer. These latest cuts are not going to help!”

Senior police officers have been calling for increases in investment for our police but the Conservative government seem to have ignored them yet again.

Cllr Mark Hunter, leader of Stockport Lib Dem Group said “I’m genuinely shocked that Ministers are ignoring the alarming rise in serious crime with this short-sighted decision.”

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