Met's £20m funding gap may mean cut in police manpower

LONDON ASSEMBLY WARNED FORCE WILL NEED 'FUNDING UPLIFT' FROM HOME OFFICE

- By KUMAIL JAFFER

Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan has pledged to increase officer numbers

(JAMES MANNING)

THE Metropolitan Police could face further staffing cuts if the impending funding settlement from the Home Office is inadequate, officials have warned.

The force has already identified a £20 million budget gap in 2026-27 that they intend to bridge through "non-workforce efficiencies".

But the force's chief finance officer, Dan Worsley, has suggested that they may need to look at staffing and recruitment changes if an expected funding uplift from the Home Office does not materialise in the provisional police settlement.

Speaking at a meeting of the London Assembly’s budget and performance committee last Wednesday (December 10), Mr Worsley said: "If the income that we've assumed doesn’t come through, then we need to look at where and when we can be more efficient.