PCC letter to Home Secretary: Government is ‘failing’ West Midlands Police

Labour Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster said police officers could be taken "off the streets" to backfill roles as he called for fair and adequate funding.

The PCC said there is a risk West Midlands Police officers my be compelled to "backfill roles that do not need a warrant card" due to ongoing financial concerns.

It comes after the potential savings required by West Midlands Police was £29.9 million over 2023/2024 – rising to £50.3 million in the financial year of 2026/2027.

Mr Foster made the request as he accused the Government of "failing to get the basics right and deliver" for people in the West Midlands, leading him to call for action.

The PCC, in a letter to the Home Secretary and Policing Minister, said: "The West Midlands Police Medium Term Financial Plan 2022/2023 to 2026/2027 is showing revised potential savings required in the financial year 2023/2024 of £29.9 million, rising to £50.3 million in the financial year 2026/2027.

"As a consequence of the need to deliver the so-called 'National Police Uplift' and maintain police officer numbers, which is entirely right and proper, the reality for West Midlands Police is that these savings will have to be found from 40 per cent of the West Midlands Police budget.

"I am deeply concerned that without adequate and fair funding for West Midlands Police, there is a risk that police officers will be compelled to backfill roles that do not need a warrant card, taking them off the streets and away from operational roles. There is also a further risk that investment in the police estate, fleet and IT will have to be further cut back."

He said between 2010 central Government had de-funded the police force to the sum of £175 million with the consequential loss of 2,221 police officers, with the force also facing "reckless financial cuts".

And he said the Police Grant Settlement does not maintain the baseline funding the force needs to operate on a day-to-day basis, with people having been "paying the price" of this.

The Labour police chief said the force would still have 1,000 fewer officers than it did in 2010 despite the uplift, adding: "I remind myself that this is within the context of other police forces across the country now having more police officers than they have ever had before. With all due respect, many of those police forces do not carry the same level of threat, risk, demand, need and vulnerability that West Midlands Police does. That is an entirely perverse and irrational outcome."

Mr Foster, who said an "unfair" system of funding was in place, said he had three requests for the new administration – firstly to face-up to the financial challenges facing West Midlands Police, so the "so-called uplift is not wasted on putting police officers into roles where police powers are not required".

The second request was to level up and re-instate the shortfall of officers, with the third request being to implement a fair funding formula for the region's force.

He added: "I repeat, the people of the West Midlands have a right to expect that the government get the basics right. However, it is a matter of serious concern to me and the people of the West Midlands that, for the reasons set out in this letter, the government is failing to get the basics right.

"A positive response to the three requests in this letter, is your government’s opportunity to get the basics right and deliver for the people of the West Midlands.

"I look forward to hearing from you as a matter of urgency."