Police authorities in the West Midlands have launched a stark criticism of the current funding system, declaring that the region continues to be 'ripped off and short changed' by the government's allocation model. This accusation comes as the West Midlands Police and Crime Panel has formally endorsed a proposal to raise the police portion of council tax bills.
Council Tax Increase Approved Amid Funding Dispute
The panel has backed a plan to increase the police precept by £15 per year for the 2026/27 financial year. This adjustment means that residents living in Band D properties will see their annual bills for policing rise to £244.50. However, this local increase is set against a backdrop of a much larger national funding controversy.
Outdated Formula Costs Equivalent of 800 Officers
West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, Simon Foster, has highlighted a critical issue with the national funding formula used to determine the force's grant settlement from central government. He asserts that the formula is outdated, relying on data from 2013, and fails to account for modern challenges such as emerging crime types and population growth.
According to Foster, this obsolete calculation results in the force losing approximately £43 million each year – a sum he equates to the cost of employing 800 police officers. A report presented to the panel corroborates this, stating that the extra funding secured does not cover essential costs, including a £33.6 million increase in police officer pay.
Political Pressure for Reform
During the panel meeting, Chair Councillor Suky Samra directly questioned the Commissioner on efforts to change the system. 'We always hear about the disparity of the funding formula,' she stated, 'How can you assure the panel you are making those representations so that funding formula may change one day and West Midlands Police will have a fair budget?'
In response, Foster detailed his five-year campaign for reform, expressing frustration over previous government inaction. 'Unfortunately, although the previous government committed to doing so, it spent 10 years pledging to do so but failed to reach even a consultation point,' he explained.
A Long Wait for Change
Foster revealed that the current government's white paper includes a commitment to reconsider the funding formula, but not until 2034. He warned that this timeline means the West Midlands will continue to suffer under what he calls an 'unfit for purpose' system for years to come.
'The net outcome of that is West Midlands Police, on that timescale, will have continued with an unfit for purpose funding formula that has meant West Midlands Police has been short changed and ripped off for about 20 years,' Foster stated emphatically.
Impact on Police Numbers and Resources
The Commissioner linked the funding shortfall directly to reduced officer numbers, noting that the West Midlands still has around 520 fewer police officers than in 2010. This contrasts sharply with most other forces across the country, which have maintained or increased their numbers.
'It's wholly unfair that we continue to be ripped off and short changed when it comes to fair allocation of police resources,' Foster concluded, 'and I will continue to return to this issue very regularly indeed.'
The force's overall budget for the coming year is set at £658.5 million, representing an increase of £20.6 million from the 2025/26 settlement. Yet, with the funding formula dispute unresolved, local leaders argue that this does not address the fundamental inequity faced by the West Midlands region.
