Agenda item

This Council records its utmost appreciation for the exceptional efforts of West Yorkshire Police in serving the people of Leeds.

Council notes the appalling record of the Conservative and coalition governments in resourcing our nation’s police forces, cutting £2.3billion from police budgets and 21,000 Police Officers since 2010, leading to the highest rise in recorded crime for a quarter of a century.

Council is gravely concerned the Conservative led Government has cut West Yorkshire Police’s budget by £140m since 2010.  By contrast Council notes the success of the Labour administration in maintaining the number of PCSOs in the Leeds district, with match funding secured from the Labour Police and Crime Commissioner.

Council is dismayed that the most recent Government funding settlement yet again fails to provide adequate resources for West Yorkshire Police and unfairly places more of the burden for funding the service away from central government and on to Leeds council tax payers.  

This Council therefore calls for an urgent increase in resources for West Yorkshire Police from central government to allow officers to tackle crime and maintain essential public safety for the people of Leeds.

It was moved by Councillor Coupar, seconded by Councillor Lowe that this Council records its utmost appreciation for the exceptional efforts of West Yorkshire Police in serving the people of Leeds.

Council notes the appalling record of the Conservative and coalition governments in resourcing our nation’s police forces, cutting £2.3billion from police budgets and 21,000 Police Officers since 2010, leading to the highest rise in recorded crime for a quarter of a century.

Council is gravely concerned the Conservative led Government has cut West Yorkshire Police’s budget by £140m since 2010.  By contrast Council notes the success of the Labour administration in maintaining the number of PCSOs in the Leeds district, with match funding secured from the Labour Police and Crime Commissioner.

Council is dismayed that the most recent Government funding settlement yet again fails to provide adequate resources for West Yorkshire Police and unfairly places more of the burden for funding the service away from central government and on to Leeds council tax payers.  

This Council therefore calls for an urgent increase in resources for West Yorkshire Police from central government to allow officers to tackle crime and maintain essential public safety for the people of Leeds.

An amendment was moved by Councillor Golton, seconded by Councillor Campbell

Delete all following paragraph one

A second amendment was moved by Councillor Amanda Carter, seconded by Councillor Buckley

Delete all after first paragraph and replace with:

“However this Council is dismayed at the Labour Police and Crime Commissioner’s handling of Police finances in West Yorkshire, including his decision to sit on funds reaching more than £103 million in total useable reserves by March 2016. This astonishing level of reserves represented a quarter of West Yorkshire Police’s total budget at the time, and was amassed during a period of under-recruitment that meant the Force was significantly under strength compared to similar sized Forces such as Greater Manchester and West Midlands.

“Council welcomes the belated decision of the Police and Crime Commissioner to now invest in frontline policing, but fears his prevarication may have contributed to the rise in crime seen across the region.

“Council notes that nationally the funding settlement for 2018/19 delivers an increase in overall police funding, and in cash terms West Yorkshire’s budget will be £15.5m higher than last year.

“This Council calls on the West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner to use available funds more effectively to allow officers to tackle crime and maintain essential public safety for the people of Leeds.”

Motion would read:

“This Council records its utmost appreciation for the exceptional efforts of West Yorkshire Police in serving the people of Leeds.

“However this Council is dismayed at the Labour Police and Crime Commissioner’s handling of Police finances in West Yorkshire, including his decision to sit on funds reaching more than £103 million in total useable reserves by March 2016. This astonishing level of reserves represented a quarter of West Yorkshire Police’s total budget at the time, and was amassed during a period of under-recruitment that meant the Force was significantly under strength compared to similar sized Forces such as Greater Manchester and West Midlands.

“Council welcomes the belated decision of the Police and Crime Commissioner to now invest in frontline policing, but fears his prevarication may have contributed to the rise in crime seen across the region.

“Council notes that nationally the funding settlement for 2018/19 delivers an increase in overall police funding, and in cash terms West Yorkshire’s budget will be £15.5m higher than last year.

“This Council calls on the West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner to use available funds more effectively to allow officers to tackle crime and maintain essential public safety for the people of Leeds.”

The amendments in the name of Councillors Golton and Amanda Carter were declared lost and upon being put to the vote it was

RESOLVED – That this Council records its utmost appreciation for the exceptional efforts of West Yorkshire Police in serving the people of Leeds.

Council notes the appalling record of the Conservative and coalition governments in resourcing our nation’s police forces, cutting £2.3billion from police budgets and 21,000 Police Officers since 2010, leading to the highest rise in recorded crime for a quarter of a century.

Council is gravely concerned the Conservative led Government has cut West Yorkshire Police’s budget by £140m since 2010.  By contrast Council notes the success of the Labour administration in maintaining the number of PCSOs in the Leeds district, with match funding secured from the Labour Police and Crime Commissioner.

Council is dismayed that the most recent Government funding settlement yet again fails to provide adequate resources for West Yorkshire Police and unfairly places more of the burden for funding the service away from central government and on to Leeds council tax payers.  

This Council therefore calls for an urgent increase in resources for West Yorkshire Police from central government to allow officers to tackle crime and maintain essential public safety for the people of Leeds.