PCC sets out plans to protect Merseyside Police from £8.5m funding blackhole caused by Government shortfall

MERSEYSIDE'S Police and Crime Commissioner has set out her plans to protect Merseyside Police from a £8.5m blackhole caused by insufficient Government funding.

Emily Spurrell says years of austerity have left her with no choice but to raise the precept by an average of £8.67 for a Band A property. This is essential if she is to prevent cuts to vital services that fight crime and protect local policing.

Merseyside Police remain 450 Officers short of the number they had in 2010 and, even with this increase in the precept, the Police Commissioner and Chief Constable will have to make up a £8.5m shortfall in the year ahead.

Despite the financial challenges, the PCC and Chief Constable have focused on investing on frontline services and in the past year all crime has reduced by 7.7% across Merseyside, with significant reductions in burglary (18%), knife crime (18.6%) and gun crime at its lowest level since records began 22 years ago.

The Government announced in December that Police and Crime Commissioners would be expected to raise the Police precept; factoring the full amount in their budget plans for policing.

The increase equates to 17p a week for a Band A household; the rate paid by most Council Taxpayers across Merseyside. For a Band D property, it is 25p a week.

Without this much needed increase, the funding shortfall would increase by a further £5m to £13.6m.

Setting out her plans to protect policing to the Police and Crime Panel today, the PCC detailed how, even with this additional funding, she will still need to use £5.2m of reserves and 'one-off' funding and the Chief will need to find £3.3m of savings this year alone to balance the books.

Merseyside's Police Commissioner Emily Spurrell said:- "The stark reality is that central Government are simply not providing enough money for policing on Merseyside. We've experienced years of cuts; our office numbers are still way down, and we still have to find £8.5m of savings in this year alone and £22m over the next 5 years. The last thing I want to do is increase Council Tax at a time when many household budgets are stretched, but the Government's refusal to provide the funding our Region needs means I've been left with no alternative. Without this additional funding, frontline Police services are in danger of being cut even further. It's my responsibility to ensure the Chief Constable can provide an effective and efficient Police service. This is the right decision to protect our Police service, but it's a decision I make extremely reluctantly, especially at a time when so many are facing their own financial struggles. As a Region we are going in the right direction; serious violence, gun and knife crime are all decreasing. We can't afford not to carry on along this positive path and that means we have to do everything we can to support local policing and ensure Merseyside Police is in the best position to fight and prevent crime in our Region."

The precept was unanimously endorsed by the Police and Crime Panel, with members sharing the PCC's concern about the Government's failure to fully fund policing locally. They committed to write to the Home Secretary to voice their views.

Liverpool Chef aims to become Chef Of The Year for the 2nd year running!

A Liverpool Chef has been shortlisted for Chef Of The Year at the British Kebab Awards for the 2nd year running, after winning the award in 2023. Turkish Master Chef Kemal Coskuncay has been recognised as 1 of the 10 best kebab Chefs in the country yet again and will travel to London on:- 27 February 2024 to take part in the prestigious awards ceremony.

The British Kebab Awards is now in its 12th year and attracts a host of celebrities, prominent politicians, journalists and most importantly the nation's hard-working restaurant workers for an evening of celebration. The kebab industry is worth over £2.2 billion to the UK economy and the awards are sponsored by Just Eat.

Turkish Master Chef Kemal Coskuncay is based in South Liverpool, and is the owner of Private Delicacies; a private dining and consultation company. Master Chef Kemal works with some of Liverpool's top restaurants including Al Dente on Lark Lane; a restaurant that has consistently been in the Top 10 restaurants in Liverpool on Trip Advisor; and Casa Rima in Halewood.

A lifelong Liverpool fan, Master Chef Kemal moved to the City in February 2020, following much success in London, working at multi award winning restaurants such as:- Marrakesh in Leicester Square and winning a:- 'Best Foreign Chef In London' award. A member of the International Gastronomy Federation, his career has been as colourful as his dishes.

Master Chef Kemal has also manages Al Dente beach restaurant in Didim, a multi award winning restaurant in Altinkum, Turkey, that has won Best Organic Turkish Food and Best Resort Restaurant awards. Now settled in Liverpool with his wife and 3 children where he spends most of his time, Kemal has set the City alight with his culinary prowess.

Kemal said:- "It is a real honour to be recognised once again after winning Chef Of The Year last year. I have been working very hard throughout my career and take great pride in what I do. I started out as a dishwasher and kitchen porter in Bodrum but learnt from the Chefs, worked my way up and eventually became Young Chef Of The Year. I am what is called a New Generation Chef and I blend traditional Turkish methods and recipes with my own modern twists. Whether it be kebabs, tomahawk steaks or seafood dishes, I use only the finest ingredients. I am very passionate both as a Chef and restaurant consultant and it feels great to be recognised by the British Kebab Awards for my work for the second year running."

The 2024 awards features judges such as:- LBC Broadcaster James O'Brien, Directors of companies like:- Oktopus Energy and Makro/Booker and a host of celebrities and MPs. Backed by the likes of Sajid Javid, the British Kebab Awards has become 1 of the most respected awards in UK hospitality, with kebabs having undergone a transformation in public perception.

Liverpool will be rooting for Master Chef Kemal Coskuncay; a person who has become very much loved by the City's diners. Master Chef Kemal has endeared himself to Scousers both for his personality and culinary creations but also for his outreach work; delivering hundreds of meals to local vulnerable people and teaching children how to cook at The Florrie.

Kemal summarised:- "I love Liverpool and I have always wanted to live here. I am a big Liverpool F.C fan, as are my children, so serving food for Liverpool legends such as Ian Callaghan has been like a dream. I love the people here; they are friendly and really appreciate great food and service. I'm so happy to be recognised as 1 of the best Chefs in the country again but to be recognised by Scousers is even more special to me."

Master Chef Kemal Coskuncay has been nominated for:- 'Chef Of The Year,' at the:- '12th Annual British Kebab Awards,' hosted at:- Park Plaza Westminster Hotel, on:- 27 February 2024. Master Chef Kemal offers private dining events through his company, Private Delicacies, and is Chef and consultant for some of Liverpool's best restaurants such as Al Dente on Lark Lane and Casa Rima in Halewood.