THE politician in charge of Warwickshire Police insists the need to find £1 million worth of savings will not affect plans to recruit more officers.

Concern was raised at this week's budget setting meeting of the Warwickshire Police & Crime Panel, the body of councillors and independent people who hold Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Philip Seccombe (Con) to account. 

The force's council tax precept is proposed to go up by the maximum allowed – £14 per year for an average Band D property – predominantly to cater for rising costs but also to fund improvement plans. 

One key area for many residents is visibility and availability of police officers with papers laying out plans to add eight officers to the force, taking it from 1,122 officers to 1,130 over the financial year up to the end of March 2026.

However, the breakdown of need and money available shows that Warwickshire Police will require another £10 million just to stand still over that timeframe, and while the bulk of that will come from government, chief constable Alex Franklin-Smith has been tasked with making £2.2 million worth of savings to balance his £140.8 million budget. 

It was explained that £1.2 million had already been found with the force currently working on plans to find the other million.

Cllr Jim Sinnott serves on the decision-making cabinet at Warwick District Council and represents the authority on the panel. Part of his portfolio includes community safety.

He referenced the savings, adding: "Then there is a further £2.5 million that has to be found in future years.

"That doesn't sound like we are going to be increasing our workforce in the near future. Are we likely to go backwards with our numbers?

"They (officers) are expensive for a reason but we are still in the lowest quartile of officers per 100,000 (people). We are not getting out of there and I am concerned we are going to go backwards with these savings."

Mr Seccombe replied: "You are quite right, these savings are challenging. 

"I have agreed with the chief constable that the extra million that needs to be found, he has undertaken to make those savings and that it will not mean a reduction in any officers, PCSOs or members of staff, which is helpful. 

"I stood on a manifesto to increase the number of officers in Warwickshire Police, I continue to stand by that.

"When I talk to residents or officers themselves, they are under pressure. The more officers we can have, the better the service will be. 

"They are expensive. To take on an officer now is about £50,000 per year, so 10 officers is half a million, quite a lot of money. 

"They won't all be recruited in the first half of the (financial) year, they will come in as soon as possible. 

"It is obviously worrying what the finances will look like in the future but that is up to the government, not up to me, because they not only give us the core grant, they cap what we can charge (through council tax)."

Mr Seccombe vowed to keep pushing for a change to the funding formula and expressed hope that two or three-year financial settlements could start coming forward rather than finding out how much forces will receive year by year.

"As with all local government at the moment, it is difficult to look over the horizon but I am optimistic that Warwickshire is in a sound financial position," he added.

"We have to make sure we protect our reserves (pots of back-up money), they are there for a reason, but I am optimistic we can continue to grow the number of officers and PCSOs in Warwickshire." 

Panel chair Andy Davis sought more detail on where the savings would come from. 

Mr Seccombe said he was still awaiting details but noted that the money was "well under one per cent" of the force's budget.

"To put it simply, I have given the chief constable the money," he said.

"He has to work out what the priorities are within the force structures and operations as to how the savings will be made, but I have had assurance from the chief constable that they are attainable."