Torbay’s MP Kevin Foster has welcomed the announcement of additional police funding totalling £428.5m for Devon & Cornwall Police from the Government, an increase of £28.3m on last year (7.1% per cent).
This funding is part of a total of £843 million to better protect the public. The additional funding will help ensure crime is tackled by the police and follows confirmation in October of £545,000 from the Home Office’s Safer Streets Fund for a package of work to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour in Paignton.
This new funding means a 30.7 per cent rise in cash terms compared to 2019-20, as part of the Government’s long-term efforts to cut crime and keep our communities safe. The proposed package for 2024-25 could see a total of up to £18.4 billion pledged to support the police to cut crime, tackle anti-social behaviour and pursue county lines gangs.
This announcement comes weeks after the Government’s introduction of five new pieces of legislation to keep our streets safe. These pieces of legislation aim to ensure criminals are locked up for longer, victims are protected, with police and intelligence services given further powers to protect the public.
The Government claims to have already delivered on their commitment to recruit 20,000 more police officers, putting more police on our streets and cracking down on crime, with further work planned for the new year focused on dealing with crime and anti-social behaviour issues in our Town Centres. Earlier this year Devon and Cornwall Police reached its highest ever number of Police Officers. This follows the national uplift programme and increased officer numbers as part of funding under the budgets set by Devon and Cornwall Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez.
Commenting, Kevin Foster MP said:
“This news is a welcome boost for our local Police force, alongside the national uplift programme and the welcome news of Safer Streets Funding for Paignton.
The creation of a new team to target long-standing issues in Torquay Town Centre and work to tackle those gangs who supply drugs into our bay, are signs of the difference investment in our police is making.”
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