PCC Matthew Grove Faces Central Government Funding Shortfall

The news that Humberside Police and Crime Commissioner, Matthew Grove, is to face a further shortfall of £1million in funding from Central Government over and above the “unsustainable cuts” already affecting the service is likely to result in a further burden on the local tax payer with a possible 2% increase in the police share of the council tax bill.

Margaret Pinder, Labour’s Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Beverley & Holderness, has already spoken out strongly against the impact of both current and future cuts to the police force.

“Mr Grove accused me of scaremongering when I questioned how the police force could suffer such extreme cuts with the loss of over 1000 jobs and provide the same level of protection let alone the ‘improved’ service he promises. We now see he has changed his tune from an ‘improved service’ to ‘the best possible service with the resources at our disposal.’

“Local people have every cause to be concerned as we see the effect of central government austerity biting into essential services at local level with the expectation this will be addressed in part by the local tax payer.

“I have every sympathy with the Chief Constable, Justine Curran, who faces an almost impossible task of designing the effective police force she is committed to in the face of such draconian cuts. This is not austerity, but a reckless disregard for one of the key components of our public sector that everyone of us relies on for our security.”