During a Parliamentary debate on the Police Grant Report, James Wild MP raised concerns about a £4 million budget shortfall for Norfolk Police, which could undermine Norfolk Constabulary’s crime reduction efforts.
The report details the Home Secretary’s 2025-26 funding determination, specifying the total police grant allocation and its distribution across local policing bodies, including the Home Office Police Main Grant, Formula Funding, and other sources.
James’ comments followed a warning from Norfolk’s Chief Constable, Paul Sanford, that experienced staff may need to be replaced by trainees to meet savings targets under the 2025/26 settlement. While the government have allocated additional funding for neighbourhood policing, Norfolk has only been allocated £1.1 million – which equates to having an additional four officers on duty at any one time for the whole of the County.
Having previously written to the Home Secretary on this issue, James called on the Minister to reconsider Norfolk’s funding allocation, stressing the challenges faced by rural counties with dispersed resources.
Speaking in Parliament James said:
“The right hon. Lady referred to neighbourhood policing. In Norfolk, the new settlement will mean four officers on duty at any one time over an area of 2,000 square miles. Norfolk’s chief constable, who is also the national lead, has warned that there is a £4 million funding gap for Norfolk, and that he will have to lose experienced police staff as a result. Why is the Minister not giving Norfolk and other rural areas the settlement they need?”
Dame Diana Johnson, Minister of State (Home Office) said in response:
“I will go on to talk about neighbourhood policing, but all police forces are getting additional money in the police settlement. On the neighbourhood policing money that is being made available, we are working with all police forces so that they come up with plans for how they can best deliver the neighbourhood policing guarantee in their area. I will talk about that in a moment.”
