Surrey Police Crime Commissioner costs reach £3 million as officer numbers slashed

• Surrey loses 39 community police officers since 2019 despite costs of Conservative Commissioner
• Surrey Commissioner pays three people to manage social media whilst crimes go unsolved
• Liberal Democrat Leader calls for Police and Crime Commissioners to be scrapped and the money put into front line policing

An investigation by the Liberal Democrats has revealed the true costs of Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs).

The party has revealed through Freedom of Information requests that Surrey's Conservative Police and Crime Commissioners have cost the taxpayer £3.2 million since 2019.

Across England and Wales, PCCs have cost the taxpayer £102.2 million since 2019. This includes office costs, staff and expenses.

A separate Freedom of Information Request to the Conservative Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner revealed how taxpayers' money is being wasted.

Since 2021, the Surrey Commissioner, Lisa Townsend, has had three staff members to run her office social media feeds. The Commissioner has increased the office costs since being elected by £180,000 - the equivalent to seven community police officers. Since the Commissioner was elected, Surrey has also seen a fall in community officer numbers (39).

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey has today called on the Government to scrap commissioners amid falling community officer numbers. Since 2019, England and Wales have lost 1,284 community police officers, despite tens of millions spent on PCCs.

The costs of the country's PCCs could have funded an additional estimated 3,830 community officers (average salary £26,634).

Liberal Democrat MP candidate for Guildford Zoe Franklin said:

"It is shocking to see this local Conservative politician waste so much money on social media and office costs whilst officer numbers are slashed.

"It seems that the Conservative Crime Commissioner cares more about Tweeting than cutting crime. Her priorities are all wrong.

"People across Surrey tell me that too many crimes are going unsolved and that it is rare to see a local police officer on their street.

"The local Conservative Commissioner has overseen a drastic cut in community police officers whilst funding their own office. It is shameful and they owe an apology to the people of Surrey."

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said:

Commissioners need to be scrapped now. Why on earth is taxpayers' money funding social media over bobbies on the beat?

"It is a scandal that officer numbers have been cut around the country whilst these politicians pocket millions to run their office.

"When most crimes in this country are going unsolved, it is the biggest waste of money to be funding their pointless roles. All that money should be given to the front line to fund new police officers.

The public want a return to proper community policing and that should be the Home Secretary's top priority."