PCC calls for more police funding at summer hotspot

David Sidwick said the current national funding formula did not take account of Dorset's annual influx of visitors

A county's Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) has called for more funding for policing in his area during the summer.

David Sidwick said the current national funding formula, in place since 2013, did not take account of Dorset's annual influx of visitors.

His comments came at Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council's Police and Crime Panel on Thursday.

The government said this year it had given police forces "a £1.2bn boost – including £200m to put 3,000 neighbourhood officers in post by spring".

Mr Sidwick also said the funding formula did not reflect the rural nature of the county.

He said Chief Constable Amanda Pearson had already warned she needed an additional £12m to provide the county with a good services, but instead was having to find £15m in savings.

He said many in Dorset were in favour of a better and fairer funding formula – including Unison and the local Police Federation.

Mr Sidwick said: "The well-funded metropolitan forces could send us some of their cash because we are policing their residents and, in effect, Dorset residents are subsidising their policing."

He said he would make the case to government after the summer recess of Parliament.

A Home Office spokesperson said: "Funding allocations for individual police forces will be confirmed in the police settlement and we will continue to work with the police to make the best use of this funding."