Police and Crime Commissioner John Tizard has finalised the 2026/27 policing budget, in February 2026, to protect frontline services and keep officer numbers in Luton stable through 2026/27.
The financial plan prioritises visible neighbourhood policing — particularly in busy town centres and high‑footfall hotspot areas — and follows a period in which the PCC’s office clashed with local councils over cuts to community safety funding.
Bedfordshire Police say the focus will remain on targeted “hotspot” patrols, which have been used over the previous 18 months. The PCC has said the new budget aims to make those extra patrols a permanent feature of how towns such as Luton are policed.
As reported by Luton Today, the funding package combines central government funding and the local council tax precept. John Tizard said: “This budget is about more than just numbers; it’s a contract with the people of Luton. We are ensuring that the financial foundations of our force are sustainable so that ‘neighborhood policing’ isn’t just a slogan, but a visible reality on our streets.”
The spending plan takes effect at the start of the 2026/27 financial year in April 2026 and builds on previous investments intended to give Bedfordshire Police the resources needed to operate effectively and keep the public safe.
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