SURREY'S police force could soon have a boost to its coffers after the Home Secretary announced a funding review.
A full review of national police funding arrangements will take place next year, including looking at the police allocation formula that sees Surrey receive one of the lowest levels of Government funding.
The move has been welcomed by Surrey's new Police and Crime Commissioner Kevin Hurley whose campaign included a pledge to fight for more funding for the county.
He said: "Three weeks ago, I wrote to the Chancellor, Home Secretary and police minister to urge them to undertake a full review of police funding arrangements and to protect funding levels for Surrey Police from any additional cuts until that happened.
"The Home Secretary has now agreed with that view, keeping in place important protections around Surrey's police funding for the next two years and committing to carry out a national review of how the Government distributes money to police forces.
"In my letter I offered Surrey's support to the Government as they undertake this review and I have since been contacted by the police minister to take this further.
"I look forward to working with the Home Office to develop a funding system that reflects the real costs of policing."
In the statement on December 19, police minister Damian Green also promised the continuation of a "damping" policy for cuts which disproportionately benefits forces that receive less Government funding, like Surrey's.
He wrote: "In making this decision, the Home Secretary and I have carefully considered responses to the recent informal consultation on damping.
"Many of the responses stressed the need to undertake a full review of the police allocation formula before changing damping policy, given that damping and the formula are inextricably linked.
"That is why we have decided to continue current damping arrangements and why the Home Secretary will be commissioning a fundamental review of the formula to begin once Police and Crime Commissioners are established in their roles and able to engage fully in the review process."
He added: "Determining how funding should be allocated to the police in the future is a complex and important matter which requires careful consideration and will take time."
