At a meeting at the House of Commons held this morning (Wednesday 24th July)
between Staffordshire MPs and the Staffordshire Police Authority, the
numbers of police officers available in the County were discussed in the
light of the Government’s Formula Grant Distribution Paper just issued by
the Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott. This Paper suggests future
alternative ways the Government might fund local services including policing
and education. Staffordshire continues to come out badly compared to other
counties.

Under one funding option suggested by the Deputy Prime Minister,
Staffordshire Police could gain by £1.2 million each year. Under others
proposed by John Prescott, the police would be worse off with the worst-case
option resulting in a cut of £5.1 million each year. As the Chairman of
the Police Authority, Mike Poulter, and the Deputy Chief Constable pointed
out to MPs, each £1 million is equivalent to 40 police officers. So in the
worst case scenario, Staffordshire could see a cut in over 200 police
officers. This would devastate the plans for community policing which will
take effect from August 5th and has only been made possible by
reorganisation in Staffordshire Police under the leadership of the Chief
Constable.

Michael Fabricant says "All the Staffordshire MPs present – regardless of
political Party – agreed that it is vital that Government Ministers are
made to understand that a cut in policing is unacceptable. We, therefore,
hope that the one option which slightly improves Staffordshire Police’s
finances, and could give us a further 80 policemen, is the option that the
Government adopts. I will be writing and meeting with Home Office ministers
to press this point. I am not, however, relaxed about this. The options
suggested for funding Staffordshire education contained in the same Paper
have disappointed teachers and parents alike."