The police and crime commissioner for Thames Valley Police has hit out at the government as tax increases are set to cost millions locally. 

Matthew Barber said "choices made by this government" since the election will leave taxpayers in Thames Valley with an additional pressure of £3.2 million next year.

In a letter to the RT Hon Dame Diana Johnson DBE MP, minister for police, fire and crime prevention, Mr Barber urged her to "rapidly consider" the way in which in-year adjustment to police funding are allocated. 

In the letter he said he has written to the Home Office "many times before" requesting a review of the funding formula itself, and that while the previous government made progress on this "slowly", he understands that these plans remain on hold. 

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“Aside from the need for a longer term solution for police funding in Thames Valley, we now face an acute problem which is exacerbated by this unfair funding arrangement," he wrote. 

“Last week, as part of the Chancellor’s huge tax increases, she announced changes to both the rate and the threshold for Employers’ National Insurance Contributions.

"Whilst publicly it has been stated that the public sector will be protected from this increase in costs, this is far from the reality in Thames Valley.

“As with any other employer, Thames Valley Police will see increased costs based on the people actually employed; but we are expecting the Home Office to allocate any additional funding on the basis of the funding formula."

He said even if the Government do fully reimburse policing as a whole, the force expects to see a shortfall of approximately £1.3m.

“This is exactly the same position we have been left in from the pay rise announced for police officers over the summer," he said. 

"Whilst I welcome an increase in officers pay to recognise the difficult and dangerous work they undertake and to aid with recruitment and retention; again, because of the Home Office’s flawed funding formula, the pay rise was not fully funded by the Home Office, but cost the Force £1.9m locally.

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“As police and crime commissioner, I have no influence over these decisions. Choices made by this government since the election will leave tax payers in Thames Valley with an additional pressure of £3.2m next year."

He added that this is before the "usual pressures" of inflation, the need to invest in new technology and to respond to changes in crime trends, and what he says is the equivalent of a reduction of at least 66 police officers.

"If I go out to the public in Thames Valley and ask them for more money through their council tax, I want to be able to demonstrate greater capacity and capability for frontline policing to help to further cut crime, rather than having to increase tax locally to pay for another tax rise imposed by the Treasury," he added.

Dame Diana has been contacted for comment. 

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