Gloucestershire police boss cannot deliver 300 extra officers pledge

A police and crime commissioner has said he can not deliver on his manifesto promise of recruiting 300 extra police officers.

Gloucestershire PCC Chris Nelson was elected in May on a promise to recruit 300 officers and 150 volunteer special constables in the next three years.

But he has reduced this to 102 full-time officers along with 200 specials due to financial pressures.

He said it was still his ambition to recruit more in the long-term.

Speaking to BBC Radio Gloucestershire, Mr Nelson said: "Yes, that's not quite what I was hoping to get, but there are reasons for that, and it is only stage one, I have got lots of ideas that I want to start implementing this year that will start to increase those numbers and get it closer to the ideal."

Mr Nelson said at the start of last year there was "every expectation" that he would be able to raise council tax, by about 6%, which would have been enough to deliver the 300 officers.

But he said what he "didn't know, as well, was how bad the budget was".

He added: "Inflation is a lot higher and there are all manner of problems going on which make it difficult to get to 300.

"I haven't given up on that promise, this is just my very first budget."

Mr Nelson will present his budget, including the full details of the extra policing, to councillors later for the first time since he was elected.

The Conservative PCC said he was also planning to increase council tax to help cover the costs of running the constabulary.

The figures show there will be now be 386 extra members of police staff, made up of the 102 full-time officers, 200 special constables, four police community support officers (PCSOs), 30 volunteer PCSOs and 50 other staff.

He said: "I'm really proud of this budget, we've got an excellent team working on this over the last nine months.

"This budget is all about strengthening the constabulary, it is the biggest and best budget the constabulary has had, I think, in a generation.

"In totality, it is an increase of about 400 police and staff split about 50/50 between full-time and volunteers."

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