Police commissioner pulls the plug on Telford project

A police commissioner has pulled the plug on financial support for a partnership community project in Telford & Wrekin, it has been confirmed.

The Safer and Stronger communities project is a £2.5 million partnership between Telford & Wrekin Council and West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion.

The council has provided the majority of the money for it since it started in 2021. In 2024 the police commissioner invested £500,000. The council says it will step up and fill the gap but has appealed for the PCC to reconsider the decision.

Safer and Stronger has supported anti crime initiatives and tacked anti social behaviour, the provision of CCTV cameras in taxis and Urban Games sports activities have attracted thousands of young people.

Mr Campion said: “Due to the short fall in government funding difficult decisions have to be made.

“My commitment and focus is and will continue to be on keeping the communities of Telford safe.”

Mr Campion says government grant funding for policing in West Mercia will increase by £5.1 million but the cost of police officers has increased by £19 million.

Mr Campion came under heavy fire at a meeting of Telford & Wrekin Council on Thursday (Jan 22) where councillors voted cross party to call on him to reverse his decision.

Councillor Richard Overton said: “This programme is working.

“Since 2022 we have seen crime fall, anti social behaviour fall and fly tipping fall. That progress does not happen by chance, it happens because we have invested.

“This decision makes no sense.”

“We won’t walk away from our communities even if the PCC has. We will put the funding back in so this vital work continues.

“John Campion, don’t throw the baby out with the bath water, join us in something that works.”

Councillor Rachael Tyrrell told the meeting that Mr Campion had supplied her with a three-page response which detailed other schemes and packages that are running. The deputy leader of the Conservative group added that everyone could agree on the importance of tackling crime.

She said she would speak to John Campion, a fellow Conservative, and try to arrange a meeting.

“I make that offer in the spirit of co-operation,” she added.

Council leader Councillor Lee Carter (Labour, Arleston & College) said the council will “step in and do our bit. We will not let that fail.”

Councillor Kim Tonks (Liberal Democrats, Admaston & Bratton), who is a teacher, said that police and community support officer visits to schools have also stopped.

“Alongside this, it is very disappointing,” she said.

Councillor Ollie Vickers (Labour, Donnington) criticised Councillor Tyrrell for “leaping to the defence of the police and crime commissioner rather than standing up for residents across Telford and Wrekin.

“We will always stand up for our residents.”

Councillor Overton reiterated that the council would be “putting this money back in”.

Councillor Overton and others linked the PCC’s decision to other issues where the council and the elected police official have clashed. These have included over changes to PCSO working hours and speed cameras on the A41.

Councillor Overton said: “He is like a baby throwing his toys out of the pram because we have held him to account.”

Mr Campion had no comment in response to that after the meeting.

Councillors from all three parties on the council – Labour, Conservative, and Lib Dems – voted to support Councillor Overton’s motion.

It “notes with concern the decision by the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) to stop financial support for the initiative and calls upon him to reverse the decision.”