Delay in changes to police funding formula

CHANGES to the way government money is allocated to police forces in England and Wales will be delayed.

Police Minister Mike Penning blamed a “statistical error” in a new formula that assesses population size and other data to calculate funding.

The proposed changes for 2016/17 will now be delayed, Mr Penning said. The Home Office has not said for how long.

Mr Penning (pictured) said the government “regrets” the mistake and apologised to MPs and to all 43 police forces in England and Wales.

The issue has caused “a great deal of concern to police forces”, he admitted.

Answering an urgent question in the Commons, he said: “We recognise this has caused a great deal of concern to police forces around the country.

“I and the government regret this mistake and I apologise to the House.”

The government had launched a consultation on plans to change the formula, prompting six Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) to threaten the Home Office with legal action.

They argued the proposals were “unjustified and deeply flawed”.

Three days before the Commons statement, the Home Office was forced to reveal the new formula was based on flawed calculations.

Labour MP Keith Vaz said 31 out of 43 police forces would have lost money as a result of the error.

He told the Commons: “What started off with good intentions is rapidly descending into farce. To call it a shambles would be charitable.”

Mr Penning said consultation responses from chief constables and PCCs, as well as evidence given to the Home Affairs Select Committee, were factors in abandoning the changes.

Speaking in the Commons, Mr Penning said the government would now seek the views of PCCs and the National Police Chiefs’ Council before proceeding with the changes.

The current formula would be used to establish police force funding for the 2016/17 financial year, he added.

Shadow policing minister Jack Dromey condemned the error as an “omnishambles process”, saying Mr Penning must “get a grip and get it right”.