Lincolnshire Police misses out on funding promised for work at RAF Scampton

Lincolnshire Police will receive only a fraction of the money it was initially promised to police RAF Scampton, the police commissioner has said.

The county’s force was promised nearly £4 million in 2023 to help police the proposed asylum seeker centre on the former air base.

The immigration plan was scrapped by the new Labour government last September.

Now, Mr Jones (Conservative) says he’s received a letter offering £136,000 of the total amount.

He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “Two years ago, we received some funding along with an assurance that this would be a multi-year agreement.

“It’s very disappointing that what I felt was an agreement has been reneged on.

“This leaves us having spent money on something that was a failed Home Office project which cost them £60m, yet they’re not prepared to pay their bills for what we incurred trying to manage it.

“It’s really, really disappointing.

“That money would have saved £4 million of services for residents this year. It’s regrettable they’ve decided to make that choice.”

The funding was intended to recruit more officers and implement digital technology, which would have required police to spend less time at their desks.

Mr Jones says he received the Home Office letter on Friday (February 7) – just as the force was holding crucial meetings on its dire financial situation.

It needs to find an extra £14 million of funding or cuts over next the financial year.

The Home Office has been contacted for comment.

The former RAF Scampton airbase near Lincoln was proposed as a site for housing thousands of asylum seekers by the previous government while their applications were processed.

The plans faced strong resistance from local communities, and it encountered repeated delays.

It was scrapped by the new Labour government, and portacabins were removed from the runway without ever being used.

West Lindsey District Council now hopes to buy the historic site as part of a £300m regeneration project, which could see it used for aviation, tourism and business.