“Major police victory for Kingston” – Davey

Threat of police cuts turned round into extra officers after behind-the-scenes lobby

15.2.05

“A vital strategic victory in Kingston’s fight against crime” was the response of local MP, Edward Davey, to the news that Kingston was to get extra police officers next year.

After a major London-wide review of police officer numbers, Borough-by-Borough, the Metropolitan Police Authority last Friday (11/02/05) accepted recommendations that gives Kingston five more officers, whilst removing the long-held fear of major cuts. Kingston’s increase is proportionately one of the highest in the capital.

Kingston and Surbiton’s Liberal Democrat MP, Edward Davey, has attended a series of meetings and seminars throughout the review to argue Kingston’s case. As the only London MP attending these meetings, Edward Davey felt he could make Kingston’s local case especially effectively.

Commenting, Edward Davey said:

“An extra five officers may not sound much, but added to the new Safer Neighbourhood Teams, Kingston police numbers will have increased by almost 50 in just over 2 years. After years of cuts and no increases, this is the breakthrough we have been working so hard for.

“Kingston had a real problem after a similar review three years ago – namely that the “resource allocation formula” that shares out officers between London Boroughs said we only needed about 231 officers – which would have meant a cut of over 30 local police. While that was never enforced, I have been worried ever since that cuts could be round the corner. That’s why I’ve spent so much time lobbying behind the scenes and meeting senior officers conducting the latest formula review.

“The new formula is much fairer, and recognises the real challenges in policing Kingston. In particular, the formula now properly accounts for the fixed costs that all Boroughs face – which hit the smallest Boroughs like Kingston the hardest. That is the real change that I have personally worked so hard to win. It’s the main reason why the new formula says Kingston needs 269 officers to do its job, not 231. Since our previous baseline was 264, this change effectively means a gain of 5 officers – and the lifting of the long term threat of cuts we had been facing.

“Of course, there is much still to do – especially to use these extra resources effectively to drive crime down. Yet at long last Kingston is beginning to get a fairer share of officers, and we can police our communities as people want them policed.”