THE DEBATE over levels of funding for West Yorkshire Police has intensified after the Government pointed out that the force’s cash reserves have “almost tripled since 2011.”

The Home Office was commenting after the county’s Police and Crime Commissioner said West Yorkshire Police’s reserves would be empty in five years’ time if the Government does not invest additional money in the force.

Mark Burns-Williamson made the claim on Tuesday in a letter to MPs, in which he tried to gather support for his call for more funding from Government.

However, a Home Office spokesman has hit back, saying: “This Government has protected overall police spending in real terms since the 2015 Spending Review.

“West Yorkshire Police has received £408.3 million in total direct resource funding this year, which is £3.7 million more than 2015-16. We note that West Yorkshire Police’s reserves have almost tripled since 2011, standing at £91.1 million in March 2017. We recognise that demand on the police is changing, and we are very sensitive to the pressure they are under. That is why we are reviewing demand and resilience, as well as police plans for greater efficiency and prudent use of over £1.6 billion of financial reserves. It is right that decisions are based on evidence rather than assertion and as part of this process we are speaking to chief constables, PCCs and frontline officers from across the country.”

But Mr Burns-Williamson said: “Since 2010/11 funding for West Yorkshire has reduced by more than 36 per cent in real terms. We have seen significant increases in complex demands during this time, including domestic abuse, missing people, serious sexual offences and cyber-crime.

“Our reserves in 2012/13 were £ 58.7 million and the usable reserves as of March 31, 2017, were £ 95.055 million.

“Reserves increased during that time as a result of Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of the Constabulary, Fire & Rescue previously criticising West Yorkshire Police for utilising reserves to ease budget pressures rather than making sustainable budget reductions. That is why a medium term strategy was put in place for the use of the reserves that allows for investment in technology, buildings, transforming the back office and continual investment in partnership opportunities. So by 2022, as I have stressed previously, the £95million reduces to £32 million, of which £30million is ring-fenced to allow for Private Finance Initiative payments, insurance and unforeseen circumstances based on threat, harm and risk.”

Chancellor Philip Hammond has announced the Government will publish its Autumn Budget on Wednesday, November 22.