Policing potential protests held in Gwent against the proposed M4 relief road could cost the local force £1 million next year.
The ‘M4-related’ pressures feature within the force’s 2019/20 budget proposals, which include plans to raise police precepts by 6.99 per cent.
Chief constable Julian Williams says the increase, which would generate around £1m, will help protect front line services struggling with demand.
The force faces a £3.5m funding shortfall with further savings of £791,000 – including the closure of front-desk services at police stations across Gwent – aiming to plug the gap.
“It’s no secret that demand for policing, and its complexity, is increasing and to deal with that you need assets,” Mr Williams told the Gwent Police and Crime Panel.
“We’ve got less officers than we’ve ever had because we can’t afford it, and crimes are reaching levels they’ve probably never been before.”
The meeting on Friday heard that crimes reported in the region increased by 20 per cent last year, with the force dealing with 210 emergency calls a day – one every six minutes.
Violent crimes like domestic abuse and rape have also risen, with Mr Williams saying officers must prioritise those “vulnerable” to such crimes.
But he said a third of public protection officers are currently too inexperienced to manage such complex cases.
Maria Henry, who worked within the force for 27 years before becoming chair of the Gwent Police Federation, described the rising level of crime as “immense”, adding: “We’re struggling now, and I’m concerned it’s going to get worse.”
Further demand is expected to come from the end of the Severn Bridge tolls, with traffic and local populations along the M4 corridor expected to rise.
The police and crime commissioner for Gwent, Jeff Cuthbert, is currently consulting on increasing the precept by 4.99% – an extra £1 a month for Band D properties.
On December 13, the Home Office released its provisional police funding settlement with Gwent receiving a “better than expected” £1.5m.
But the commissioner said further analysis of the grant funding was needed before considering Gwent Police’s “compelling” budgetary proposals.
The “uncertainty of Brexit” and ongoing negotiations regarding police pension contribution rates – expected to cost £5 million in the next four years – also had to be considered, according to Mr Cuthbert.
“All this means we have to manage carefully the expectation of the public for visible policing” he said.
“I’m not suggesting removing police visibility, but we have to try and strike that balance. Austerity has not ended and the burden on local taxpayers is likely to continue for the foreseeable future.”
The panel will receive an updated report on the budget on January 25.