Tackling Rural Crime in South Shropshire
According to the National Farmers’ Union (NFU), rural crime cost farmers £52.8 million in 2023 - with a concerning rise in organised criminal activity on farmlands and in rural communities. In its latest rural crime report, the NFU has reported a worrying upsurge in the theft of agriculture vehicles, quad bikes, and livestock. Rural offences have risen by 22%, with a total estimated cost of £49.5 million in insurance claims.
At the same time, the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) has found that many police forces lack sufficient numbers of dedicated rural officers - with many reporting inadequate supplies of equipment and often being pulled into address urban issues. While has rural crime fallen by 34.6% in Shropshire over the last year, it continues to cost farmers more than £2.3 million.
Now, Stuart has said that the government should reform the national police funding formula and establish a rural uplift to recognise the extra challenges of policing rural areas. Stuart has also said that the government must continue with the Safer Streets Fund and expand it to include rural priorities - enabling police forces to invest in equipment such as torches and lamps, drone kits, and cameras.
“Rural crime has a devastating impact on lives and livelihoods in local communities, such as South Shropshire. It must be promptly addressed so we can restore confidence in policing. We must call time on rural crime. The new government must ensure that the police have the funding necessary to keep communities safe. The current funding formula no longer accurately reflects demand on policing, so I have called on the government to review it and include a rural uplift to reflect the extra challenges in policing rural areas. I have also asked the government to continue with schemes to tackle the blight of fly-tipping on our countryside and invest in local crime prevention by expanding the Safer Streets Fund. This would help the Police to purchase new equipment needed to tackle rural crime.”
