Greater Manchester Police Closes £32M Budget Gap

0:00On March 18th, Greater Manchester Police have closed a 32 million-pound budget gap for the 2026-2027 financial year. They did this mainly through efficiency savings after receiving the second lowest government funding of any force in the country. The budget approval included a 15-pound rise in the police precept for BANDE properties, bringing it to 285 pounds 30, annually, up from 270 pounds 30. To balance the books, the force plans significant staff reductions, dropping non-office roles from 3965 to around, 3,800. New technology systems will help cut costs, and Operation Wolverine is boosting income from seized vehicle sales. Deputy Mayor Kate Green told the Greater Manchester Combined Authority Panel on Monday March 16th that these steps were tough but necessary. She stressed that the force has gone to great lengths, yet they are now likely at the limit of savings without harming service quality. Ongoing pressures include national pay rises for staff that outpace new funding, plus

1:04higher salaries from officer promotions. Repurposing clean-air zone cameras for policing adds 1.1 million pounds in costs, while income from traffic fines is dropping. Chief Constable Stephen Watson noted that sticking to the budget will be challenging, but the force has a strong case to push government for better. Made in AI