'People focused' police budget welcomed by MPA and Met

10/07
14 February 2007

Joint release from MPA & MPS

The Metropolitan Police Authority and the Metropolitan Police Service have welcomed the Mayor's budget agreed today (14 February 2007) which set a £3 billion gross policing budget for London in 2007/8.

Len Duvall, chair of the Metropolitan Police Authority, which works with the Met to plan and manage the police budget, said:

"I welcome this budget settlement and thank the Mayor for working with us to help pay for a police service that is truly people focused, placing the emphasis firmly on service delivery.

"In particular, the rise in the Mayor’s precept reinforces the improvements in neighbourhood policing we have worked together to achieve in record time in order to make our city safer for all of our diverse communities.

"This has been a long process and we have had to make many difficult decisions along the way, not least the efficiency savings identified to ensure we are providing value for money. We never forget that we are using taxpayers’ money, and we must spend it wisely and to best effect.

"Whilst this budget will entail some changes within the Met, I’m confident that we have kept the best traditions of policing in London - enhancing frontline policing, increasing visibility and giving reassurance to Londoners.

"This organisation has some remarkable achievements under its belt, which include the establishment of neighbourhood policing and major operations around counter terrorism. And despite difficult times financially, we continue to move forward in tackling crime in all its forms."

MPS Deputy Commissioner Paul Stephenson, said:

"Funding for policing the capital over the next 12 months has now been agreed and whilst it’s a good settlement for the MPS we will still need to make efficiency savings of around £95millon compared with last year.

"There has been huge investment in the Met in recent years which is reflected in significant reductions in crime, including burglary falling this year to a 25-year low and overall crime coming down by almost seven per cent. Much has been achieved, although of course we recognise there still remains much more to be done.

"In the next year, as well as looking to increase the number of police officers by another 270, the Met’s modernisation programme will continue to focus on further opportunities to free up officers for front line policing, making us more efficient and enabling us to invest effort in those areas that matter most to Londoners.”

Notes to editors

The police budget comes from two main sources - central government, which provides around 78 per cent of the funding, and the Mayor's precept (money from London's taxpayers), which provides the rest. In addition, the Met receives some extra funding for counter-terrorism work and the Olympics.

Further media information

For further information, please contact the MPA press office

Send an e-mail linking to this page

Feedback