A row has broken out after the crime commissioner for Rutland and Leicestershire announced cuts to frontline policing as part of his budget for the coming year.

Police and crime commissioner Rupert Matthews (Reform) has handed Leicestershire Police a budget of £261.97m for 2026-27 – leaving a funding gap of £4.7m.

Residents will see their police precept – paid through council tax bills – increase by around £11 or 3.66 per cent to £311 for an average property as part of the review. 

Mr Matthews said he carefully considered whether to raise the levy by the maximum 5 per cent – a £15 increase – but said he had to consider residents as well as the police force.

The force has already identified £3.5m in savings meaning the chief constable must now find a further £1.2m in cuts.

A report published ahead of the Leicestershire and Rutland Police and Crime Panel meeting next week reveals that 17 police staff roles are already set to go – alongside one superintendent post – saving close to £1m.

The move has been slammed by the Police Federation who said the "shuddering cuts" would put the public at risk, while Chief Constable David Sandall said he could not support the budget.

The force has already had to make cuts of £23m over the last three years.

Mr Matthews said: "Just because I can ask local people to pay an additional £15 towards policing, it doesn't mean I should.

"It's true that I have been calling for more funding for Leicestershire Police for years. I will continue to do so. But this money should come from central government, not local residents."

Mr Matthews said he was cutting his own office budget by 3 per cent – around £162,000 – and re-investing that money in frontline policing.

'Already one of the lowest funded police forces' 

Mr Sandall said: "I recognise that no-one really wants to pay more tax and of course we recognise the pressures on people's finances, with many in force managing financial pressures.

"However, this must be balanced with the ability to prevent harm, keep people safe and ensure that we can deliver an efficient and effective police service and have the resources to do this.

"We are already one of the lowest funded police forces nationwide and it is a credit to my officers and staff at Leicestershire Police that we rank within the top eight performing forces."

The chief constable said the the majority of people supported paying more than £11 extra – and that four in 10 supported the maximum £15 increase. He said this would give the force an extra £1.4m a year – or £6m over four years after inflation.

'This puts the public at risk'

Leicestershire Police Federation chairman Andy Spence said: "A direct result of these cuts will be the loss of police officer and staff numbers. This puts the public at risk and shows just how out of touch the PCC is with policing.

"It is shuddering to think that despite really clear evidence from those who know what they are talking about that he has chosen to cover his ears, ignore what the public have said and do what he wants."

Mr Matthews will present his recommendation to the Police and Crime Panel on Wednesday, February 4.