SIR – I note your recent editorial column regarding the recent HMIC (Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary for England and Wales) report on child protection.

As you quite rightly note, child protection must be identified as one of the most important areas of modern policing.

It needs to be funded and staffed as such by police and safeguarding partners against the backdrop of significant government cuts to policing and public sector resources when demand and risk is going up.

Protecting our children is of vital importance as I have made absolutely clear in the Police and Crime Plan which I have discussed regularly with the Chief Constable.

Recently £1.5million of that money paid for up to 30 specialist investigators to progress enquiries in the growing number of reported sexual offences.

I have made an additional £467,000 commitment to initiate further work to address child sexual exploitation (CSE), which aims to increase awareness in schools and to offer more support to victims.

It is important to note that the HMIC report was completed last August and a number of positives were identified in the report.

Among them they recognised that good working partnerships are in place.

However, there were also concerns identified by HMIC, including West Yorkshire Police devolving responsibility to the five districts resulting in inconsistent practice.

I am in talks with the Chief Constable to make sure the force addresses all the recommendations included in the report and that appropriate progress is made on implementing the action plan as agreed by safeguarding partners.

Here in Bradford and West Yorkshire, we are working better together to ensure safeguarding vulnerable children remains a top priority for police and partners and that we are doing everything we can to protect our children from harm in a complex and challenging environment.

Mark Burns-Williamson, West Yorkshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner