Police funding must change PCC urges government

PCC Marc Jones says the way funding has been allocated has put Lincolnshire Police on the verge of bankruptcy

The government needs to "change the way forces are funded", Lincolnshire's Police and Crime Commissioner has said.

PCC Marc Jones says the way funding has been allocated to police forces over the past 20 years and changing expectations of what the police do have put Lincolnshire Police on the verge of bankruptcy.

The force has said it faces losing up to 200 police officers and 200 support staff without extra funding.

A Home Office spokesperson said: "We will work with Lincolnshire Police to ensure they have the resources they need to support visible neighbourhood policing to our communities and tackle the crimes that make people feel unsafe."

Mr Jones said the government should "take another look at what officers should be doing", arguing the current formula did not take into account that Lincolnshire's 750,000 residents were spread over a vast area.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, it factored in statistics like the number of pubs – which tended to benefit cities – but not the miles of road.

The current police funding formula was established more than 20 years ago under New Labour, which shifted funding from rural to urban areas.

Support grants were available to help larger counties, but these had ended.

The Home Office said it had increased the amount of funding Lincolnshire received, but Conservative PCC Jones described the problems facing the county as a "perfect storm".

Police like 'social workers'

Mr Jones said: "It would take an extra £25m to deliver the standard of policing that similar counties enjoy."

Forces get a share of council tax called the police precept, but fewer households mean the amount collected in Lincolnshire increases at a slower rate than in other areas.

Mr Jones said there were much different expectations of police today compared to the 1980s, including investigating domestic violence, stalking, harassment and acting like "social workers".

Talks are currently ongoing with the Home Office about emergency funding to prevent deep cuts in Lincolnshire's force.

The Home Office spokesperson said Lincolnshire Police would receive up to £174.5m in funding in 2025-26, an increase of 6.2% on 2024-25.

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