 MPs in the East Midlands say the system is unfair |
A lack of funding may mean there will be hundreds fewer police officers in the East Midlands, MPs from the region have said. Shadow Home Secretary and Harborough MP Edward Garnier said the Leicestershire force was only given 84% of what some other forces in the UK received.
In a Commons debate, Derbyshire West Tory MP Patrick McLoughlin said his county was not being fairly funded.
Police Minister Tony McNulty accepted that the costs varied widely.
Mr Garnier said the decade-long problem needed to be addressed urgently.
Funding increases
"We understand that there is no such thing as free taxpayers' money. We understand that resources have to be carefully marshalled and husbanded.
"But we also understand, no matter which party we come from and which part of the region we represent, fairness is something the British people expect and understand. And at the moment we're not getting it."
Mr McLoughlin said: "Nottinghamshire gets �132m in grants which is equivalent to �127 per head on last year's figures.
"Derbyshire gets �105m, which is �106 per head.
"What this means is that people in Derbyshire are actually paying more in their council tax for their police service."
Mr McNulty admitted that despite "huge and significant" increases in funding, more could be done to improve policing across the East Midlands.
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