Police Chief Warns of Staff and Service Reductions Despite Funding Boost

A chief constable has indicated that reductions in police officer numbers, staff, and services will be necessary following a government funding announcement. Lincolnshire Police has been allocated £173.2m for 2025, marking an increase of £8.9m compared to the current year. Chief Constable Paul Gibson stated that while the force welcomes the additional funding, the government grant constitutes a “nominal increase” that does not “reflect the real and everyday challenges in the county.” Home Secretary Yvette Cooper asserted that the government was providing forces with “a substantial increase,” but Mr. Gibson revealed he had requested a meeting with the policing minister, as the force anticipates a £57m deficit over the next four years. Just over half of this increase will originate from Home Office grants, with £4.1m expected to come from rises in council tax bills, which are projected to increase by an average of £14. Marc Jones, Lincolnshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, described the funding settlement as “very disappointing” and claimed the county’s force was the worst funded in the country. Mr. Gibson characterized the current funding model as “outdated,” asserting that it has resulted in Lincolnshire not receiving a “fair deal.” “In recent weeks I have warned about the possibility of cuts to our workforce, which means cuts to the public service that people in Lincolnshire will receive,” he said. He continued, “It’s something I desperately want to avoid but with no financial respite in sight we simply will not be able to meet our budget needs without reducing officers and staff, and therefore our services. “We cannot police on a shoestring and people in this county deserve better than that. “Our modelling will now begin in earnest to explore how we can make these savings and, sadly, I cannot see a way we can do that without a detrimental impact on our communities, not to mention the people here who could find themselves out of a job.” Mr. Gibson affirmed that the force continued to respond to the public, including throughout the Christmas and New Year period, and was “doing all it can to protect people and keep communities safe.” On Tuesday, Ms. Cooper announced the provisional settlement of £17.4bn for forces across England and Wales for 2025-26, stating that the government was “providing a significant and much-needed increase in funding to help forces protect the public and keep our streets safe.”