The Met Police will receive increased funding to manage protests, but it still falls short of the necessary budget to meet demands
London: The Met Police is set to get a funding boost of tens of millions next year to help deal with the rising number of protests. The Home Office announced this on Tuesday.
They’ll receive £255.2 million through a special grant, which is a £65 million increase from the previous year. But here’s the kicker: it’s still not enough to cover what they really need.
Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has been pretty vocal about the financial struggles. He mentioned that without a significant budget increase, the force might have to make some tough choices, including cutting 2,300 officers and 400 staff.
In a statement, Policing Minister Dame Diana Johnson acknowledged the increased demands on the Met. She pointed out that the funding hasn’t kept up with inflation for years, especially with the rise in protest activities.
While the funding increase sounds good, the Met is hoping for more help in the next government spending review to sort out their long-term financial issues.
A spokesperson for the Met said it’s going to be tough for their dedicated officers and staff. They’ll need to figure out how to manage their services within the new budget while keeping London safe.
On top of that, council tax is expected to rise by nearly £330 million to support policing across England and Wales. The government has proposed a 3.5% real-terms funding increase, but a chunk of that relies on council tax hikes.
Dame Diana emphasized that the funding settlement aims to balance taxpayer protection with the need for police funding. Overall, the police funding will reach £17.4 billion, which is a significant increase from last year.
This extra cash will help cover officer pay rises and other costs, but the Met is still facing a challenging road ahead.