Following on from his questioning of the Police Minister on the issue of rural policing, local MP, Andrew Percy, met with the Chief Constable of Humberside Police, Tim Hollis, last week to discuss local policing issues.
Andrew says, "I wanted to speak to Tim about a number of local policing issues that had been raised with my by local residents and organisations. I also wanted to talk to him about the future of policing budgets and to express my concern at the scare-mongering going on by certain organisations over the future of police funding. Everybody knows that as a result of the appalling state of the public finances inherited by the Coalition, public spending is going to have to be brought under control.
The challenge for organisations such as the Police and local Councils is to find innovative ways of reducing their costs without impacting on service delivery. There is a great deal of waste in the system and everyone needs to accept that. Moaning about cuts that haven't yet happened is of no use to anyone.
In terms of local issues, I took the opportunity to raise growing concerns about the theft of lead from churches in the Isle of Axholme as well as concerns from traders regarding shop-lifting in Goole."