A candidate for the job of West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner says he will not ‘waste’ £60,000 on a Deputy if elected – and instead use the money to fund frontline policing. Jay Singh-Sohal, the Conservative candidate in the May 2021 election, says he will reduce office costs and focus on “more police, less politics”. He has now called on other candidates for the role to also pledge to do the same. He says that under a Labour PCC, the office has increased in size to more than 53 staff and a budget of £8.5 million a year - money taken from the West Midlands Police force.
Dec 17, 2020
Police chiefs in the West Midlands are set to receive around £36 million more funding than last year to help crack down on crime.
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David Jamieson
The Home Office announced the £35.9m boost for West Midlands Police as part of the 2021/2022 funding package – the largest increase to a police budget outside of London.
It means West Midlands Police will be able to recruit a further 360 officers. The force has lost more than 2,000 officers since 2010.
Labour police officials have welcomed the funding, but said it does not undo a decade of austerity .
Home Secretary Priti Patel said: Officers across the West Midlands have been working hard this year to keep us all safe and I am grateful for their efforts.