Police funding formula leaves Hampshire one of the least funded forces in the country

HAMPSHIRE Police is one of the least funded forces in England and Wales, and it’s ‘unfair’ on officers and the public.

Hampshire Police Federation says the funding formula used to construct force budgets and resources needs to be reviewed as it’s negatively impacting on the number of bobbies on the Hampshire beat.

Federation Chair Zoe Wakefield said it means the force is having to go into battle just to get its fair share of resources.

“It’s just simply not fair,” she said.

“The funding formula is unfair and it means that we are not adequately funded. The people of Hampshire don’t get the same number of officers that other counties do and then it means recently that we didn’t get the correct allocation of new officers in the uplift.

“We were only allocated 156 officers, and that was all based down to the funding formula.

“Fortunately the chief constable decided to go above and beyond that 156 and recruit more because that’s what we need.

“She has continually fought to get that funding formula reduced so that we can get our adequate funding.”

It’s a hot topic high up on Zoe’s agenda as she settles into her new role as chair.

“I know Alex [Charge – former Federation Chair] wrote to MPs about it, and I do plan to write to all the MPs to introduce myself, and I will petition them about this.”