Henry Smith MP has welcomed news that Sussex Police will receive an extra £22.2 million to tackle crime and keep our streets safe – an uplift of 7.7 per cent from last year.
The Government have announced an increase of up to £1.1 billion for police forces throughout England and Wales, to ensure our police can focus on keeping communities safe.
It comes on top of the Government’s plan to recruit an additional 20,000 police officers, along with ensuring they have more powers and better kit. Sussex Police is already set to receive an extra 129 officers this year, with more to come in the future.
As a result, overall police funding is set to increase by the biggest amount in a decade. This will see more money available to recruit, train and equip police officers, as well as investment in national priorities like tackling serious and organised crime, and our counter-terrorism capabilities.
Henry said;
“I’m delighted that police funding in Sussex will increase by up to £22.2 million next year.
“We made a commitment to people at the election that we would crack down on crime and back our brave police to get on with the job, and we’re wasting no time in delivering on that promise now.
“This Government will always ensure that the police have the powers and resources needed to keep our citizens and communities safe.”
The Home Secretary, Priti Patel, commented;
“This Government is delivering on the people’s priorities by giving policing the biggest funding increase in a decade.
“It will mean more officers tackling the crime blighting our streets, so people can feel safe in their communities.
“The police must now make full use of this significant investment to deliver for the public.”
Note to Editors
Giving the police the biggest increase in funding for a decade, so that they have the resources and officers they need to keep us safe: The amount of funding available to the policing system for 2020-21 will increase by more than £1.1 billion, totalling £15.2 billion, if Police and Crime Commissioners take full advantage of flexibility to set the police precept. This represents an almost 10 per cent increase on the core (resource) grant provided to forces last year, enabling the police to cut crime and deliver on the people’s priorities.
