This Council:

•   notes the increasing pressures facing Greater Manchester Police (GMP)

•   supports the warnings of a multitude of agencies,  that nationally police forces are reaching a breaking point as a result of the wide ranging cuts initiated by the Conservative Government. This has left forces across the country and here in Trafford depleted to critical levels. This is against a background of a continued rise in reported crime across the city region. Recent statistics show a 27 per cent increase in total recorded crime in Greater Manchester, with a rise across the majority of crime types, including sexual offences and robbery.

•   welcomes the announcement by GM Deputy Mayor with responsibility for Police, Bev Hughes for 100 additional officers; but recognises that this will not fill the gap that has been created following eight years of real term cuts imposed on Greater Manchester Police.

•   believes that the Government should rethink their strategy for policing and adopt Labour’s 2017 manifesto commitment, pledging to put 10,000 additional police on to the streets of England and Wales.

•   welcomes GMP’s commitment to neighbourhood policing, with its key emphasis on tackling crime and antisocial behaviour, as well as a focus on problem solving and crime prevention through enhancing local intelligence gathering. It is noted that police officers work collaboratively with partner agencies in Greater Manchester and particularly in Trafford to provide a bespoke service that best meets the needs of each community, with an increased focus on utilising early partnership based intervention. This progressive approach is however being severely hampered by the Government cuts to the police service which weakens community cohesion and puts the safety of our residents at increasing risk.

Council therefore calls upon the Leader of the Council to write to the Home Secretary condemning the scale of government cuts to the police since 2010 and calling for a properly funded police force.

(Note: Councillor Freeman declared a personal interest in the matter being in receipt of an occupational pension from Greater Manchester Police and remained in the meeting.

Councillor Lally also declared a personal interest in the matter as his sister-in-law was a serving Greater Manchester Police Officer and remained in the meeting.)

It was moved and seconded that:

“This Council:

•   notes the increasing pressures facing Greater Manchester Police (GMP).

•   supports the warnings of a multitude of agencies, that nationally police forces are reaching a breaking point as a result of the wide ranging cuts initiated by the Conservative Government. This has left forces across the country and here in Trafford depleted to critical levels. This is against a background of a continued rise in reported crime across the city region. Recent statistics show a 27 per cent increase in total recorded crime in Greater Manchester, with a rise across the majority of crime types, including sexual offences and robbery.

•   welcomes the announcement by GM Deputy Mayor with responsibility for Police, Bev Hughes for 100 additional officers; but recognises that this will not fill the gap that has been created following eight years of real term cuts imposed on Greater Manchester Police.

•  believes that the Government should rethink their strategy for policing and adopt Labour’s 2017 manifesto commitment, pledging to put 10,000 additional police on to the streets of England and Wales.

•   welcomes GMP’s commitment to neighbourhood policing, with its key emphasis on tackling crime and antisocial behaviour, as well as a focus on problem solving and crime prevention through enhancing local intelligence gathering. It is noted that police officers work collaboratively with partner agencies in Greater Manchester and particularly in Trafford to provide a bespoke service that best meets the needs of each community, with an increased focus on utilising early partnership based intervention. This progressive approach is however being severely hampered by the Government cuts to the police service which weakens community cohesion and puts the safety of our residents at increasing risk.

Council therefore calls upon the Leader of the Council to write to the Home Secretary condemning the scale of government cuts to the police since 2010 and calling for a properly funded police force.”

It was moved and seconded as an amendment that:

“This Council:

•   notes the increasing pressures facing Greater Manchester Police and that policing is the responsibility of the Mayor of Greater Manchester;

•   notes the concern of these increased pressures faced by Greater Manchester Police, and the steps taken by to assist including the ability to levy a higher precept and ongoing funding from Government;

•   notes that Trafford remains the safest place to live in Greater Manchester and places on record our appreciation for the work of Greater Manchester Police and community safety teams;

•   welcomes the announcement of 100 additional police officers; and calls on the Chief Constable to ensure Trafford receives it’s fair allocation of additional resources; and

•   welcomes GMP’s commitment to neighbourhood policing, with its key emphasis on tackling crime and antisocial behaviour, as well as a focus on problem solving and crime prevention through enhancing local intelligence gathering. It is noted police officers work collaboratively with partner agencies in Greater Manchester, and particularly in Trafford to provide a bespoke service that best meets the needs of each community, with an increased focus on utilising early partnership based intervention.

Therefore, Council calls upon the Leader of the Council to write to the Home Secretary to request that Greater Manchester Police remains sufficiently funded in future to meet its challenges and write to the Mayor of Greater Manchester demand new resources that have been disproportionately removed from Trafford are re-allocated.”

Following a debate on the matter, the amendment was put to the vote and declared lost. A further speech in respect of the substantive Motion was made before it was put to the vote and declared carried.

RESOLVED: That this Council:

•   notes the increasing pressures facing Greater Manchester Police (GMP).

•   supports the warnings of a multitude of agencies, that nationally police forces are reaching a breaking point as a result of the wide ranging cuts initiated by the Conservative Government. This has left forces across the country and here in Trafford depleted to critical levels. This is against a background of a continued rise in reported crime across the city region. Recent statistics show a 27 per cent increase in total recorded crime in Greater Manchester, with a rise across the majority of crime types, including sexual offences and robbery.

•   welcomes the announcement by GM Deputy Mayor with responsibility for Police, Bev Hughes for 100 additional officers; but recognises that this will not fill the gap that has been created following eight years of real term cuts imposed on Greater Manchester Police.

•  believes that the Government should rethink their strategy for policing and adopt Labour’s 2017 manifesto commitment, pledging to put 10,000 additional police on to the streets of England and Wales.

•   welcomes GMP’s commitment to neighbourhood policing, with its key emphasis on tackling crime and antisocial behaviour, as well as a focus on problem solving and crime prevention through enhancing local intelligence gathering. It is noted that police officers work collaboratively with partner agencies in Greater Manchester and particularly in Trafford to provide a bespoke service that best meets the needs of each community, with an increased focus on utilising early partnership based intervention. This progressive approach is however being severely hampered by the Government cuts to the police service which weakens community cohesion and puts the safety of our residents at increasing risk.

Council therefore calls upon the Leader of the Council to write to the Home Secretary condemning the scale of government cuts to the police since 2010 and calling for a properly funded police force.