Police boss launches Dorset funding legal challenge

The Conservative Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Dorset has begun legal action against the Home Office over what he describes as an outdated and unfair police funding formula.

David Sidwick said the current financial settlement from government had failed to reflect the county's policing needs and had placed an unacceptable burden on local taxpayers.

He said he had instructed solicitors to formally challenge the Home Office unless urgent steps were taken to address "the inequity in future police funding settlements".

The Home Office said funding for all force areas would be addressed as part of the policing reform White Paper.

Sidwick said the tourism economy of the county had brought its own extra pressures that were not being accounted for by the government.

"Every year we welcome millions of visitors to our towns, beaches and countryside" he said.

"Those pressures create significant additional demand on our officers and staff, yet neither rurality nor seasonality is properly recognised in the current funding system."

The PCC argued the current formula had failed to take account of Dorset's significant seasonal population increases, with more than 25 million annual day visits and staying trips, or its rural geography.

"Officers often travel considerably greater distances to attend incidents in rural communities than in urban areas," he said.

"Resulting in longer response times, higher vehicle costs and increased operational pressures."

Sidwick said he would continue to press the Home Office for change.

"I hope the government will now engage positively so that legal action can be avoided," he said.

"However, if that does not happen, I am prepared to take this fight forward on behalf of the people of Dorset."

A Home Office spokesperson told BBC News the government was "delivering the biggest reforms to policing in over 200 years to allow forces to focus on protecting their community and make the public safer".

"Police force funding this year is at a historic high of £18.4bn, with Dorset Police seeing a cash increase of 4.6% compared to 2025-26," they added.

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