Police tax rise stops 'damaging' cuts to Thames Valley

The force revealed its officer levels were "under strength" due to high numbers of retirements and transfers.

A council tax rise will prevent a police force from making "unacceptable" cuts to frontline services.

Anthony Stansfeld, Thames Valley police and crime commissioner, said he did not approve of raising the police precept, but added it was necessary to prevent "damaging" cuts.

The force revealed its officer levels were "under strength" due to high numbers of retirements and transfers.

The changes will mean Band D householders will pay £12 more a year.

At its annual budget meeting, Thames Valley Police (TVP) said no decisions over the future of its mounted and dog sections had been made after suggestions surfaced they could be cut or scrapped.

The mounted section is used to maintain public order at football matches, demonstrations and other events.

A budget of £405m was approved amid further cuts of £14.3m until 2020/21.

Mr Stansfeld said the increased funding from council tax should have been raised by the Government as he argued TVP did not get as much cash compared to other forces.

"If I got the same amount of money per head of population, I would have 2,000 extra police officers and our burglary rate would be a third of what it is at the moment," he added.

The budget meeting heard how the force was 98 officers below the required level, but is forecasted to fall of 101 by the end of 2018.

Mr Stansfeld admitted it was "slightly ironic" officer levels were struggling amid funding cuts, but said it was a "demographic issue".

"Tough decisions"

TVP Chief Constable Francis Habgood said the budget had been the "most challenging" the force had ever gone through.

He added it would take "two to three years" to solve recruitment issues.

He told the BBC: "I'm not going to pretend it's easy. The demand is still going up. There are still some tough decisions, but this is in a much better position than what I thought we were going to be in."

By 2020/21 the force will have cut £113m in 10 years.

The budget plans will be put forward to Thames Valley's police and crime panel for final approval next week.