Councillors fear that the decision to scrap a grant dedicated to combating anti-social behaviour will have safety implications in Warwickshire's towns.

Op Resolve was rolled out through a £1 million-per-year grant to target problem areas with increased patrols by police and partner organisations. 

The idea is that separate funding for wider neighbourhood policing improvements will mean the work will become what Police & Crime Commissioner (PCC) Philip Seccombe (Con) called "business as usual" but he acknowledged it will be tough to maintain the current level of presence.

Describing himself as "very disappointed", Mr Seccombe told Warwickshire's Police & Crime Panel – the group of councillors tasked with scrutinising and signing off his budget plans for 2026-27 – of his dismay.

"It has resulted in many more patrols by police forces and partner organisations, principally in our hotspot town centres, which has reduced anti-social behaviour and serious and organised crime in those areas," he said. 

"National PCC leads have also criticised the decision, recognising the importance of those hotspot patrols. They have also given much better visibility and problem-solving activity to our neighbourhood teams."

Councillor Keith Kondakor (Green, Weddington) asked for more detail of what it would mean on the ground.

"Our town centres are blighted in the evenings and we also have quite a bit of anti-social behaviour on our new estates while they are bedding in," he said.

"I'm particularly keen that this is something we don't go backwards on."

Mr Seccombe admitted the overall result could see a "partial loss" of service with funded partners replaced by extra police patrols.

"The sad thing about it is that we are going to lose those partner organisations like the wardens in Warwick, the rangers in Rugby, BID in Stratford," he said.

"We were able to fund them but they will lose that because we just don't have it."

On the strengthened neighbourhood policing, he added: "Plainly, one of their jobs will be to do some of that hotspot patrolling. 

"Whether the chief constable can do it to the same level as this financial year, I don't know, but I would certainly expect a substantial part of that patrolling to carry on."

Warwick district councillor Jim Sinnott (Warwick Saltisford) queried whether work to cut violence against women and girls and serious violence on the streets would "go backwards purely down to money".

"It is proven that if we get people on the ground we can have a real impact on the figures," he argued.

"Just because the grant funding doesn't come through, I'm not sure that is a good enough reason for us to stop doing something with a proven track record.

"Our public have come to expect (the service)."

Mr Seccombe said he could have proposed to fund it from Warwickshire Police coffers, increasing the force's annual savings target to £3 million per year, but countered: "£2 million of savings without affecting frontline effectiveness was difficult.

"Hotspot patrolling, and patrolling of other areas, will become business as usual. It helps with visibility and engagement and I would expect and trust that the chief constable will respond to challenges wherever they are.

"We have to keep an eye on it, we will see how it goes during the year but in principle you will not be losing your patrols. It will be business as usual for the rest of the force, particularly our safer neighbourhood teams which are being strengthened under the Policing Guarantee. I would expect not to see too much difference in your patches."

The panel went on to approve Mr Seccombe's budget, which includes a £15 rise to the policing element of council tax for the average Band D property from April.

"Without that increase, we would have had to make significant reductions that directly affect frontline services and undermine the progress made over the past 10 years," he said.

The extra cash will be targeted at achieving faster response times, "stronger and more visible" neighbourhood policing, improvements to ensure call handling is "reliable and timely" and better investigations and outcomes for victims through support for "specialist teams".

"I feel the budget strikes the right balance, protecting front-line delivery while preparing for the significant governance and structural changes ahead," he concluded.

Tied to the Op Resolve concerns, he was asked by Councillor Cliff Brown (Lib Dem, Bidford & Welford) why he hadn't sought a higher council tax rise.

"You've said we have the most underfunded force in the country," said Cllr Brown. 

"Traditionally we have been for some time and other forces are applying for more than £15. Why aren't we asking for a bit more?"

Mr Seccombe replied: "I took the decision that our residents are paying quite enough. I didn't feel it was right to penalise residents for a lack of government funding."