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Police feel 'hammer blow' of further spending cuts

BBC Two police officers overlook Salisbury market square. They are pictured from behind and are wearing high-vis jackets with "Police" in white letters on a blue panel on them, and traditional police helmetsBBC
Wiltshire Police is already one of the lowest funded forces in England and Wales

A police and crime commissioner (PCC) is warning it risks becoming "impossible" to deliver good policing if government funding does not rise.

Wiltshire is the latest force to warn of spending cuts in the year ahead, which the organisations representing ordinary officers has called a "hammer blow" to morale.

The county's PCC says the force can carry on improving in 2025-26 despite this, but warned it would "become more difficult, perhaps impossible" the next year.

The Home Office said police have the funding needed to keep communities safe.

Phil Matthews-Dawson outside Devizes Police Headquarters. He is wearing a checked blue jacket, a dark shirt and a bright blue tie. He has a goatee beard and dark hair
Wiltshire Police Federation Chair, Phil Matthews-Dawson, said even kit like warm jackets and IT equipment was becoming harder for officers to get hold of because of budgets

The Wiltshire Police Federation - the closest thing police officers have to a workers' union - is urging residents and MPs to write to ministers about the funding shortfall.

"The morale that the cops are feeling when the job they're being asked to do is ever-harder, it's just taking a massive hit," said its chairman Phil Matthews-Dawson.

It comes off the back of a year of intense pressure in which Wiltshire Police has managed to improve performance enough to be taken out of special measures by Her Majesty's Inspectorate.

"The thanks we get from that is the government asking us to cut even more money," added Mr Matthews-Dawson.

One of the Federation's workplace representatives, PC Abbie Osbourne, works in the longer-term investigation team and said officers "don't see this light at the end of the tunnel" for when pressure will ease.

"Officers are at breaking point," PC Osbourne said.

"They want to do the job well and they just feel like they're undervalued. It's quite hard to reassure them that things will get better."

Police Commissioner Philip Wilkinson in the Wiltshire control room and call centre in Devizes. He is wearing a fawn-coloured jacket, a pale blue shirt and a dark tie with yellow spots on it
PCC Philip Wilkinson believes staff and officers at Wiltshire remain "enthused" and highlighted recent improvements in the control room call response time - but warned government funding could soon become too tight.

"People are concerned and rightly so," Chief Constable Catherine Roper told the BBC, but added she still felt the force could carry on improving the service it delivers.

"Honestly it is going to be tough but we are dedicated to doing it, so I do understand the mood music and I do understand why people are feeling the way that they are but we are taking it carefully and with absolute care and concern."

To balance its books, even with a proposed local tax rise, Wiltshire Police is planning to close some buildings, reduce the number of vehicles and cut civilian staff by not filling vacancies.

It could mean small rural stations could close, but the force has committed to keeping those with existing public reporting desks.

Although the number of police officers will not be cut, there are warnings the workload of a reduced civilian staff may put more pressure on frontline officers.

While it remains committed to creating a long-awaited large new police station in the Salisbury area, bigger plans to redevelop the force headquarters in Devizes have been shelved due to the financial pressure.

Police cars outside Devizes HQ. They are white with blue patterns and "police" written in blue lettering on their bonnets
The planned redevelopment of the ageing Devizes headquarters has been shelved, and there could be fewer police vehicles due to the savings plan

Deciding how to prioritise the budget for Wiltshire, one of the smallest police forces in England, is the responsibility of the PCC.

He is currently running a consultation on raising the police share of council tax by the maximum allowed - £14 a year for a Band D household, a increase for Wiltshire of just over 5%.

He rejected claims morale was low, saying officers and staff were "enthused" about their recent improved performance, but warned it "would become increasingly difficult".

"Should these cuts - which they are - by the government be placed upon us in the next financial year it would become even more difficult and perhaps impossible," he said.

Wiltshire Police Chief Constable Roper in full uniform
Wiltshire's Chief Constable Catherine Roper promised officer numbers would not be cut - but warned the savings would be "tough" to achieve

Overall police funding is increasing nationally and locally, but even with expected local tax rises, Wiltshire still needs to make £6.4m in savings.

This is because the cash increase does not keep pace with increased costs in things like wages, National Insurance, and other unavoidable budget lines.

The government said the force's budget in 2025/26 is expected to be £171m, up £10m on 2024/25.

A Home Office spokesperson said "We are ensuring police have the funding to keep our communities safe and deliver on our Safer Streets Mission.

"We have announced funding of up to £19.5bn for the policing system in England and Wales under the provisional police funding settlement for 2025-26."

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