Over the last ten years, the Conservative government has overseen a 20,000-officer reduction in police forces across England and Wales. In Wiltshire, a 16 per cent reduction to police numbers has left us with the country’s second lowest number of officers per population. Today, many crimes in Wiltshire are left without meaningful investigation – including 72% of all vehicle crimes. Our plan is to restore policing capacity in Wiltshire. In turn, this will enable the reinstatement of neighbourhood policing, with dedicated neighbourhood teams working within local communities. This is essential for gathering local intelligence and rebuilding public confidence.

We also believe that addressing the causes of crime is as critical as effective policing. This will require investment in the social fabric of our communities, restoring youth services, early interventions, and taking meaningful action to improve drug and alcohol services and to tackle unseen crime such as domestic abuse.

Labour will:

• Recruit additional police officers and PCSOs to restore policing capacity in Wiltshire.

• Reinstate neighbourhood policing with dedicated teams working within local communities.

• Put a hold on the sale of police stations and undertake an operationally-led review of accommodation needs to support neighbourhood policing.

• Increase dedicated resourcing to tackle rural crime such as farm thefts.

• Improve support for victims of crime.

• Take effective action to tackle “County Lines” criminal drug networks.

• Make tackling Domestic Abuse a real priority.

• Rebuild youth services in Wiltshire.

• Increase support for much-needed drug and alcohol services.