This Council notes:

•       The Home Office has announced a public consultation on the current Police Allocation Formula which is to conclude on 15th September.

•              The Home Office has so far failed to provide adequate details to Police Crime Commissioners, Police and Chief Constables that allow them to fully understand financial implications and may leave the force severely disadvantaged.

•              Potential cuts could range from £53 million to £78 million which is the equivalent of between 1,060 and 1,560 officers.

•              Since 2010 Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has lost more than 1,500 officers. 129 officers across Trafford.

•              Lack of clarity from the Home Office suggests that financial planning is and will be incredibly difficult to forecast even in the short term.

•              The National Audit Office has already warned the Government has insufficient information on how much further police funding could be cut without degrading services.

•              The Chief Constable Sir Peter Fahy reports that GMP risk becoming a “reactive force”.

Council resolves:

To work with the Police and Crime Commissioner and the Chief Constable to pursue the letter sent to Rt. Hon. Theresa May requesting further detail on the Police Allocation Formula.

To openly challenge this Government on the proposed further cuts to GMP and fight for a fairer deal for Trafford.

(Note: Councillor Freeman declared a personal interest in this item, having served with the Greater Manchester Police for over 30 years and was in receipt of a pension from the Greater Manchester Police and Crime Commissioner’s Office, and remained in the meeting during its consideration.)

It was moved and seconded that:

“This Council notes:

•       The Home Office has announced a public consultation on the current Police Allocation Formula which is to conclude on 15th September.

•              The Home Office has so far failed to provide adequate details to Police Crime Commissioners, Police and Chief Constables that allow them to fully understand financial implications and may leave the force severely disadvantaged.

•              Potential cuts could range from £53 million to £78 million which is the equivalent of between 1,060 and 1,560 officers.

•              Since 2010 Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has lost more than 1,500 officers. 129 officers across Trafford.

•              Lack of clarity from the Home Office suggests that financial planning is and will be incredibly difficult to forecast even in the short term.

•              The National Audit Office has already warned the Government has insufficient information on how much further police funding could be cut without degrading services.

•              The Chief Constable Sir Peter Fahy reports that GMP risk becoming a ‘reactive force’.

Council resolves:

To work with the Police and Crime Commissioner and the Chief Constable to pursue the letter sent to Rt. Hon. Theresa May requesting further detail on the Police Allocation Formula.

To openly challenge this Government on the proposed further cuts to GMP and fight for a fairer deal for Trafford.”

It was moved and seconded as an amendment that:

“This Council notes:

•       The Home Office has announced a public consultation on the current Police Allocation Formula which concluded on the 15 September 2015.

•       That Police and Crime Commissioners and Chief Constables have requested further information from the Home Office that allow them to fully understand financial implications.

•       That since 2010, Greater Manchester Police has reduced by 1,500 the number of police officers, of which 129 were from the Trafford division and notes that this was one of the largest reductions, as a percentage, across the force area.

The Council resolves:

•       To work with the Greater Manchester Police and Crime Commissioner and the Chief Constable to pursue their letter sent to the Home Secretary requesting further detail on the Police Allocation Formula.

•       In light of the information being received, to challenge the Government to deliver a fair spending settlement for Greater Manchester Police and locally to further challenge the Greater Manchester Police and Crime Commissioner to deliver an equitable settlement for Trafford when he considers how to implement spending reductions across the force area.”

Following a debate on the matter, the Motion was put to the vote and carried unanimously. Consequently, the substantive Motion was declared carried.

RESOLVED: That this Council notes:

•       The Home Office has announced a public consultation on the current Police Allocation Formula which concluded on the 15 September 2015.

•       That Police and Crime Commissioners and Chief Constables have requested further information from the Home Office that allow them to fully understand financial implications.

•       That since 2010, Greater Manchester Police has reduced by 1,500 the number of police officers, of which 129 were from the Trafford division and notes that this was one of the largest reductions, as a percentage, across the force area.

The Council resolves:

•       To work with the Greater Manchester Police and Crime Commissioner and the Chief Constable to pursue their letter sent to the Home Secretary requesting further detail on the Police Allocation Formula.

•       In light of the information being received, to challenge the Government to deliver a fair spending settlement for Greater Manchester Police and locally to further challenge the Greater Manchester Police and Crime Commissioner to deliver an equitable settlement for Trafford when he considers how to implement spending reductions across the force area.