Local MP Alex Cunningham has reacted with anger to today’s announcement that Cleveland Police Authority’s Budget will be hit to the tune of £17 million in real terms over the next two years.
Cleveland will face a 5.1% cut in the coming financial year, equivalent to £5.3million in cash terms, with a 6.7% cut the following year, equivalent to £6.6million in cash terms. When inflation is taken account the real terms cut for the two years amounts to £17million.
Alex said:
“The Government should be ashamed of the pressure it is putting on our police service across the country and on Cleveland in particular. The huge cuts in funding are bound to lead in time to reductions in the number of police officers serving our communities.
I’m pleased the Cleveland Chief Constable thinks he can protect police officers’ jobs but share his disappointment at the level of cuts as well as the ‘front loading’.
We have seen tremendous successes for the Cleveland police service in recent years – a huge drop in crime levels to the lowest recorded levels ever. But that has been achieved with a well resourced service – the ability of our police to maintain these low crime levels if now very much in question.”
