Speaking in today’s Welsh Parliament Debate on the Police Settlement 2020/21, Shadow Minister for Communities and Local Government, Mark Isherwood AM, said that police budget increases in North Wales will fund ten more officers for the Major Crime Unit, 20 new auxiliary police staff, 16 additional response officers and five more community safety officers, including three for the Rural Crime Team.
He referred to the fact that the Home Office has also confirmed that they will be providing North Wales Police with nearly £150,000 to invest in 167 new taser devices – part of £576,000 being distributed between Wales’ four Police Forces and £6.5 million divided across police forces in England and Wales .
Speaking in the Senedd, he said:
“The UK Government has now announced a £1.12 billion increase in 2020/21, taking the total settlement for the policing system to £15.2 billion. This includes £700m for the recruitment of 6,000 additional officers by the end of March 2021. The UK Government will be recruiting 20,000 new police officers across the UK.
“This weekend the Home Secretary and Secretary of State for Wales joined North Wales Police to see how they are tackling the County Lines drug problem in the region.
“Speaking in North Wales, the Home Secretary said “I am committed to providing forces across Wales with the powers, resources and tools they need to keep themselves and the public safe”.
“She also said that she was consulting on the UK Government’s Police Covenant, called for by the Police Federation, recognising Police Officer’s service and sacrifice, and enshrining their rights in law.
“Other steps recently taken by the Home Office include expanded stop and search powers and plans to increase the maximum sentence for assaulting emergency service workers”.
Expressing concern that Council Tax payers in North Wales are still paying more for policing than other Welsh regions, despite having the lowest percentage increase in Police Precept, he said:
“The majority of funding for Police and Crime Commissioners comes directly from general UK and Welsh Government grants and around a third (across England and Wales) comes from the Council Tax Police Precept, which is increasing this year by: 6.82% to £273 per annum in Gwent, 5.9% to £273 per annum in South Wales, 4.83% to £261 per annum in Dyfed-Powys and 4.50% to £291 per annum in North Wales.
“Although South Wales Police Federation stated in 2016 that the Council Tax Precept Gap with the other Welsh Forces had now been closed, it is therefore apparent that although North Wales has the lowest percentage increase, Council Tax payers are still paying more than in the Welsh regions facing the biggest percentage increases”.
Mr Isherwood also referred to his January visit to TITAN, the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit, established in 2009 as a collaboration between the six police forces in North Wales, Cheshire, Merseyside, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Cumbria, to tackle serious organised crime that crosses county borders in the region..
He said:
“They told me that an estimated 95% or more of crime in North Wales operates on a cross-border East/West basis and almost none on an all-Wales basis – and a North Wales Police representative present also confirmed that all their North Wales emergency planning is done with their partner Forces in North West England and that they have no significant operations working with the other Police Forces in Wales.
“Labour and Plaid Cymru propose the devolution and centralised control in Cardiff of Justice and Policing. A Welsh Conservative Government would instead work with the UK Government to deliver Policing and offender management services in Wales which reflect our devolved responsibilities.
“We would back the law abiding, hardworking, silent majority, not give the vote to prisoners convicted of sexual and racist crimes as Labour and Plaid Cymru are proposing”.
Speaking after the Debate, Mr. Isherwood said “You would think from some of the comments made that England was some alien land telling Wales how to run its Police services, when it is the UK Government, scrutinised by the whole UK Parliament including Welsh MPs, that is responsible for Police services in England and Wales. The attempted power grab over Justice and Policing by Labour and Plaid Cymru completely ignores geographic and operational reality, putting their Empire building before the safety of Welsh and British people on both sides of the Wales/England border”.
