Mayor Dave - One-Off Funding for Bedfordshire Police Welcome, but Severe Underfunding is Ongoing

Mayor Dave Hodgson has welcome the announcement of £4.6m of one-off funding for Bedfordshire Police, but asserted that it does not change the force's ongoing, severe shortage of annual funding. Noting that the Chief Constable has stated that the funding will help the force to cover the costs of activity already carried out in tackling gang, gun and knife crime, Mayor Dave has also pointed out that the money will not fund much-needed extra policing.

Commenting, Mayor Dave said: "Any new money is welcome, but as the force has said this will help pay back some of the costs it has already incurred, rather than funding much needed extra policing. This one-off funding also doesn't change the ongoing position, which is that Bedfordshire Police is severely underfunded and urgently needs more resources to help keep our communities safe.'

"It's sadly an ongoing fight to seek the funding that our local services sorely need from central government, whether it be our local policing, looking after the elderly or vulnerable children or our health services."