Today’s funding settlement from Government does not provide the increase in core funding needed to relieve the pressure on the policing budget in Thames Valley.  

Whilst there is a cash increase in funding, it falls short of the increase necessary to maintain current levels of policing, let alone deliver the increases that we would all want to see. 

In the run up to the General Election Yvette Cooper, then Shadow Home Secretary, promised 13,000 more neighbourhood officers. Now most people could be excused for thinking that meant police constables. As I warned at the time, this was never what was intended, and now the Home Office is publishing the official details of the so-called Neighbourhood Guarantee. The reality is very different. In fact the Home Office will fund just 3,000 police constables across the whole country.

Delivered by Youth Justice Services, the Operation Deter Youth programme works by drastically speeding up the time that Youth Offending Services make contact with under-18s that have been arrested for weapon and violence offences to just 90 minutes after notification of arrest.

Concerns over the increasing levels of violence perpetuated by those committing rural crime, such as agricultural machinery theft, hare coursing and poaching has brought Wiltshire, Hampshire and Thames Valley, Police and Crime Commissioners together with a commitment to make their counties a hostile place for those involved in spreading fear and terror.

Matthew Barber has criticised plans by the Lib Dem-run West Berkshire Council to cut street lighting across the county which pose a risk to both public safety and public confidence. 

Sign the petition at keepthelightson.uk.

Matthew Barber, Police and Crime Commissioner for Thames Valley, is asking Thames Valley residents to share their views on priority areas for the local policing budget in 2025/26