PCC welcomes Home Office’s transparency on police reserves

West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion has welcomed the Home Office’s decision to publish details about police reserves.

Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion said: “Since coming into post I have stood by my election pledge, which was that I would always make sure public money is used as effectively and efficiently as possible before asking our communities to contribute any more.

“I welcome the Government’s focus on reserves as West Mercia has been sitting on funds of around £60 million in recent years – which is simply not acceptable. This is why I have made a commitment to responsibly reduce the reserves to a sensible level of £13 million by 2019/20 whilst also supporting West Mercia Police to a balanced budget in the same period. I am utilising the reserves to bring the police estate into the 21st century and equip officers to meet the needs of modern policing.”

The Home Office has published the information in a ‘central and transparent’ database which will allow members of the public to see how their local Police and Crime Commissioner is managing funding.

Details of reserves held by each PCC since 2011 are available here – https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-financial-reserves

Issued on: Thursday 1 February