Today the Leicestershire Police received a very welcome early Christmas present in the shape of an extra £11 million in budget.
This is part of an overall increase as the Government is increasing funding for policing to more than £15 billion in 2021-22, up by £636 million from this year. Funding will be used to increase police officer numbers and keep communities safe.
Leicestershire Police, which covers Leicester and Rutland as well as Leicestershire, is set to receive an additional £11 million in its funding next year, thanks to the Conservative Government’s increase to police budgets.
The national increase includes over £400 million recruit 20,000 extra police officers by 2023, delivering on the promise made by the Conservatives in last year’s General Election. Leicestershire has already benefited from an additional 89 officers.
The funding will be also be used to bolster counter-terrorism policing, including money for armed policing and more officers.
The Conservative Government has been determined to support the police throughout the coronavirus pandemic, as officers have worked tirelessly to keep communities safe. The Government has provided £30 million to help forces step up coronavirus enforcement and has reimbursed forces for all additional PPE purchased between March and July.
Officers and staff in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland have been instrumental in keeping our community safe this year, and I pay tribute to them for their hard work and professionalism. I am delighted to see our area getting an additional £11 million next year. I was delighted to see the Conservative government elected last year on a promise to get more officers onto the streets and to ensure our police have what they need to keep us safe.
This Conservative Government is now doing exactly that – ensuring we build back safer as we recover from coronavirus.
Home Secretary Priti Patel has told me: “We have asked more of the police than ever before during the coronavirus pandemic – the British people and I are extremely grateful for their dedication. I am absolutely committed to giving the police the resources they need – this funding package delivers on that. It will allow us to continue to put more police on the streets, and reduce crime as we build back safer from the pandemic.”
Quite right!
