Quizzing Police Minister Nick Hurd in the Commons, South West Wiltshire MP Andrew Murrison welcomed the £161 million extra funds announced today for policing and the increased flexibility to raise money for the police from the local precept. However, he pointed out that the government police grant per person for Wiltshire is £151 against £171 nationally, an inequity picked up in September’s National Audit Office report on police funding. Dr Murrison said;
“The uplift announced is most welcome but I would question the use of the local precept to make up for relative underfunding of forces like Wiltshire. I had hoped ministers would have acted on the NAO report in today’s settlement and will continue to do what I can to redress a longstanding unfairness in the way funds are disbursed.”