Lincolnshire MPs share what action they have taken to support the county’s struggling police force

Lincolnshire’s MPs have explained what action they have taken to support the county’s struggling police force as it faces axing 200 officers to tackle a financial crisis.

Chief Constable Paul Gibson has warned of the ‘imminent withdrawal of core services’ and having to cut a total of 400 jobs in total as he tries to plug a £14million financial blackhole in the force’s budgets.

Lincolnshire remains the worst funded force in the country due to a funding formula which leaves the county at a huge disadvantage by using metrics such as population density to calculate how much cash is allocated.

The current formula was introduced by the last Labour Government in 2006 but was not replaced during 14 years of Conservative-led Government - in which at least three of our MPs had served as ministers.

Previous attempts to alter the formula put forward by MPs along with Lincolnshire Police and Crime Commissioner Marc Jones (Con) - who has also come under fire to quit as a result of the latest funding crisis - have failed to resonate.

We have asked the county’s current eight MPs - which include junior minister Hamish Falconer (Lab) - along with Mr Jones about the action they have taken in the last two weeks to help tackle Lincolnshire’s plight. Many have taken up the cause by writing to Policing Minister Dame Diana Johnson, who represents Kingston upon Hull North and Cottingham.

A spokesman for Mr Jones said that he has had ‘cordial’ conversations with politicians and officials in the last two weeks but nothing of significance has emerged to avert the looming crisis.

Grantham and Bourne MP Gareth Davies (Con) was first elected in 2019 and held the position of Exchequer Secretary in the Treasury from April 2023 to July last year.

He said: “The officers and staff of Lincolnshire Police do such important work keeping local people safe, and I am in regular contact with the Chief Constable and our Police and Crime Commissioner about the financial pressure the force is under.

“I have always been clear that Lincolnshire Police should be provided with the powers and the resources they need to do their job.

“As of July 2024, our area was benefiting from 189 additional officers thanks to the national police uplift delivered by the previous Government. Like many in our area, I am disappointed that this new Government has placed this uplift at risk through funding constraints, inflationary pressure, and costs associated with the manifesto-breaking National Insurance tax rise.

“I will continue to press the Labour Government for greater funding for Lincolnshire Police. The Chief Constable has been clear in his warnings and that discussions are ongoing. I expect Labour Ministers to address his concerns in full.”

Sir John Hayes (Con) has represented South Holland and the Deepings for nearly 30 years and has made several attempts to get the funding formula changed without success.

The veteran MP, who held seven ministerial posts between 2010 and 2018, has previously stated that the barrier to the getting the formula changed is that successive governments were not prepared to disadvantage metropolitan areas.

A spokesman for Sir John said he had spoken with the Policing Minister the day after the announcement as well as holding talks with the other Lincolnshire MPs.

He met with the county’s crime commissioner last week to discuss a way forward.

Stamford and Rutland MP Alicia Kearns (Con), who was elected in 2019, said she had also written to the policing minister about the funding crisis.

She said: “For the last few months, I have been fighting to get Lincolnshire Police the vital funds they urgently need – not just to do their jobs, but to ensure the force can provide exceptional support to us all.

“Without additional funding, the £14 million budget gap Lincolnshire Police are facing will mean significant job losses and brutal cuts to officer numbers – despite Labour’s pledge to recruit an additional 13,000 officers.

“I have written to the Policing Minister to urge the Government to work with Chief Constable Gibson and deliver crucial funding to Lincolnshire Police. Our police forces and communities should not suffer the consequences of Labour’s inability to balance their books.”

A spokesman for Lincoln MP Mr Falconer, who is the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, said: “Hamish has been focused on the challenges facing Lincolnshire Police, and safeguarding Lincoln’s police for the future.

“He is engaged in on-going discussions with both the Policing Minister and the Chief Constable, and has spoken to both in the last two weeks.”

Reform’s Richard Tice secured the Boston and Skegness seat in July last year but says he has been working on the funding issue for an ‘extended period’.

A spokesman said: “Richard has sent a letter to Dame Diana Johnson, Minister for Policing, Fire and Crime Prevention, outlining his concerns with the current funding situation, and requesting a meeting to discuss the issue further. Despite his efforts, we have not yet received a response and have been following up with her department for an update. In addition to this, Richard has submitted written questions to raise awareness of the matter.

“Richard remains dedicated to ensuring a better deal for police forces, including more bobbies on the beat. He is prepared to work collaboratively with anyone to achieve this goal, as demonstrated by his previous meetings with other Lincolnshire MPs and the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC).”

Former health secretary Victoria Atkins (Con), who represents Louth and Horncastle, has also raised the matter of funding with the Policing Minister.

The MP, who was first elected in 2015, said: “It is disgraceful that this Labour government’s refusal to fund our police force properly has forced Lincolnshire Police to scrap their planned new intake of officers.

“My constituents pay their taxes and should receive proper levels of policing.

“From the failure to fund policing to the vindictive family farm tax and the withdrawal of the Rural Services Grant for our councils, Labour’s actions show they do not understand or care about our corner of England. I will keep fighting for fairer funding for our county’s police, which is why I have raised this matter directly with the Policing Minister.”

We have also approached Gainsborough MP Edward Leigh (Con) — who was first elected in 1983 — and Dr Caroline Johnson (Con) who represents Sleaford and North Hykeham, but have not received a response.