WARWICKSHIRE’S police and crime commissioner Ron Ball has cautiously welcomed plans to overhaul police funding across the UK.

Following claims from a number of commissioners that the way police forces are funded is outdated, Policing and Justice Minister Mike Penning announced earlier this week a consultation would be launched into overhauling the system.

Currently about 60 per cent of Warwickshire Police’s funding comes directly from the government, while the remainder is generated by council tax.

Mr Ball said he was “cautiously optimistic” Warwickshire would receive a fairer share of government funding under the new plans.

“I welcome the fact that government has listened to representations from PCCs and forces that the current funding model is not fit for purpose and places some – in particular the smaller rural forces like Warwickshire – at a disadvantage,” he said.

But he added government spending cuts expected to be announced in the autumn would mean the ultimate amount of money received by the force would reduce.

“This will pose challenges for the force but I am confident that Warwickshire Police remains better placed than many forces to absorb some of the immediate impacts of funding reductions,” he said. “The ground-breaking alliance with West Mercia Police continues to deliver greater efficiencies, while the planned use of financial reserves over the next five years will allow for a smoother transition as the force adapts to the new policing landscape and smaller overall budgets.”

The full public consultation is available at www.gov.uk/government/consultations/reforming-police-funding-arrangements-in-england-and-wales and will close on Tuesday, September 15.