The Police and Crime Commissioner is ‘deeply concerned and frustrated’ after the government announced a funding shortfall totalling £41 million to policing in the West Midlands
A funding shortfall means there could be up to 80 fewer police officers in the West Midlands in 2026, the region’s police and crime commissioner has warned(Image: Coventry Police)
The Police and Crime Commissioner has issued a warning that West Midlands Police could face the loss of up to 80 police officers in the coming year.
This follows the government’s announcement of a funding shortfall amounting to £41 million for policing in our region.
The PCC, Simon Foster, has expressed his ‘deep concern and frustration’ over the news, which threatens to partially reverse recent progress made in recruiting additional police officers following years of austerity.
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The Commissioner was already cognisant of a £27 million gap in the finances, due to WMP being seriously structurally under-funded, and had collaborated with the force to earmark savings for 2026/27. However, the problem escalated before Christmas when Mr Foster was informed of a likely £41 million deficit instead.
Finance Chiefs at the force and the Commissioner’s office are now striving to balance the books, but Mr Foster is worried that the negative funding news could necessitate a reduction in the number of neighbourhood police officers on patrol.
The Commissioner is already querying the public about their willingness to pay an extra £15 per year in council tax, on an average band D property, to help cover some of the shortfall. Additionally, the force believes it can utilise around £5.5 million from its reserves, typically set aside for emergencies, and make savings and efficiencies of approximately £12 million.
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But the PCC says that regrettably, this will not fully cover the funding gap.
West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, Simon Foster, said: “I am deeply concerned and frustrated by this news from government. It is completely unacceptable to the people of the West Midlands.
“I have spent years campaigning, acting and working to rebuild neighbourhood policing and just as we were starting to see extra officers recruited we get this awful news, which could see up to 80 officers taken away again.
West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, Simon Foster(Image: Local Democracy Reporting Service)
“This will be a real body blow to communities who tell me they so desperately need more police out on the streets to prevent and tackle crime and keep people, families, businesses and communities safe and secure.
“I am writing to the government, calling on Ministers to work with us to find the much-needed funding that will fix this problem.”
Prior to this announcement, West Midlands Police was forecast to still have 520 fewer police officers by April 2026 than in 2010. This funding announcement could see that figure rise to 600.
The overwhelming majority of other police forces across the country now have as many police officers as they had in 2010, if not more officers than they have ever had in their force histories.
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