Page 7 - WMPF Federation Dec2018-flip_Neat

Pensions shortfall could

spark new funding crisis

est Midlands Police Federation and being made by the Federation and police
the Chief Constable have warned of chiefs.
Wa fresh crisis in policing in the face “It is good to see police chiefs and the
of another squeeze on budgets. Federation speaking out against these
Forces across England and Wales have proposals,” he said. “It is a sorry state of
been told they must meet a £420 million affairs when we, as a Federation, and our
shortfall following the Treasury’s chief constables feel there is no other option
re-calculation of the money each force needed than to take legal action against
to pay into the police pension scheme. Government.
West Midlands Police faces new pensions “We fully support the chiefs’ call for
expenses of £8.6m next year and £13.9m the investment and we would hope there were
year after according to figures published in alternative ways of managing this other
The Guardian. than cutting police numbers, which are
Chief Constable Dave Thompson said: already at an all-time low.
“There is no question there will be more “We wholeheartedly agree the pension
obvious rationing of services. The public can deficit should not be funded out of existing
already see it is going on. We are already not force budgets. We have been saying for too
pursuing crimes where we could find a long now that Government spending
suspect. We are doing things now that decisions are putting the safety of the public
surprise me. at risk, and these proposals only make that
“We are struggling to deliver a service to situation worse.”
the public. I think criminals are well aware John Apter, national Federation chair,
now how stretched we are.” added: “Since 2010, we have lost more than West Midlands Chief Constable Dave
The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) 21,300 officers – that’s a drop of 15 per cent Thompson.
has sent a formal letter to the Treasury and the lowest number of police officers
saying it will seek a judicial review of the since 1996. Policing is becoming purely end the unprecedented cuts suffocating the
Government’s proposals. reactive as it continues to be decimated by police service because, at the end of the day,
And Rich Cooke, chair of West Midlands cuts. it’s not just police officers suffering but the
Police Federation, welcomed the joint stance “The Government needs to wake up and public too.”

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