MP Rosie Cooper is angered by the Home Office giving Lancashire Constabulary an unfair funding allocation for additional police officers.

The force is trying to police our streets and communities with 750 fewer officers today than in 2010.

Following the Home Secretary’s announcement of funding for 20,000 police officers, MP Rosie wrote to Priti Patel ahead of the National Policing Board meeting, calling for a fair funding allocation for Lancashire Police to return the lost officer posts.

Lancashire Police and its Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw has confirmed to Rosie that Lancashire has a first year recruitment target of just 153 officers, compared to the request for 340 officers; to put this into context, Surrey Police have had a reduction of just eight police officers since 2010. Under the new funding allocation, they will get an increase of 250 officers.

Speaking out on this decision, Cooper said: “This decision is a travesty. Here was an opportunity for the government and specifically the Home Office to right a previous wrong and they have failed to do so.

“I welcome the additional officers Lancashire Police will receive and the pay rise for the hard-working, dedicated and brave officers serving today. Although, the government is failing to provide any additional monies to police forces to fund the pay rise.

“Lancashire police officers, the people and communities of West Lancashire deserve more support from this government than they are getting when it comes to public safety and tackling crime.

“There is no doubt the loss of officers has impacted on policing across Lancashire forcing officers into tough choices on what activities they do police and prioritising their responses.

“To see areas, such as Surrey, that have never suffered a noticeable loss of officer numbers to then get an even greater increase is deeply unfair and unjust, whilst Lancashire remains far short of the officer numbers it desperately needs.

“I have once again written to the Home Secretary to explain how utterly unacceptable this announcement is and I will continue to call for fair funding for our police force.”