The Policing Resources Bill [HL] is a private member’s bill introduced by Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru). It would amend the Police Act 1996 to include various criteria the Government must consider when determining the annual police grant. It would also set up a new independent body to review and report annually on the adequacy of the police grant. Lord Wigley introduced the bill in the House of Lords on 6 July 2017. It is due to have its second reading on 6 September 2019.
Police forces in England and Wales receive their funding through a variety of sources. However, each force’s main source is an annual central government grant. The Government may exercise discretion in deciding how much funding each force receives, but since 2014 has used the police allocation formula (PAF).
For the 2019/20 fiscal year, the Home Office announced that the total police funding settlement will be up to £14 billion. This is an increase of £970 million compared to 2018/19. According to the Government, this figure represents the largest increase seen since 2010. The settlement was welcomed by some, including the chief executive of the College of Policing, Chief Constable Mike Cunningham, and the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) lead for finance, Chief Constable Dave Thompson. However, others, such as the Shadow Home Secretary, Diane Abbott, and the chair of the Police Federation, John Apter, criticised the announcement, arguing that the settlement sum was not enough.
