'Budget failed to mention policing and the broken criminal justice system' says PCC
West Mercia's Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) has said Rachel Reeves' Budget failed to mention "policing and the broken criminal justice system".
John Campion said the Chancellor’s budget announcement will also do little to silence concern about the growing strain on police funding.
He said the lack of acknowledgement only adds to the assumption that PCCs, who oversee police budgets, will have no option but to hike up council tax "putting further pressure on taxpayers".
Mr Campion said: “I have been a loud and consistent voice on the fact that funding increases have not kept pace with pay or the overall cost of delivering services to the public.
"I’m not alone - senior leaders, PCCs, and Chief Constables across the country have stood up for their communities too.
“Today’s announcement disregards those calls and places the burden squarely on PCCs to raise council tax.
"The public will rightly be concerned - not only about the uncertainty surrounding policing budgets, but also about the absence of a clear, long-term plan to fix the criminal justice system.”
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