Overview

• Sir Mark Rowley has proposed replacing the current 43 county and city forces with 12–15 larger regional forces supported by a new national policing body for specialised resources.
• The National Police Chiefs’ Council and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper have voiced support for the overhaul to reduce inefficiencies and end the postcode lottery in victims’ services.
• Police leaders warned of a £1.2–1.3 billion funding gap and described the 2.3% annual funding increase as disappointing, with borrowing costs set to rise 49% over three years.
• Rowley highlighted that officers now spend thousands of hours on social-service tasks—including handling 80,000 missing vulnerable children reports—and policing football matches at a £70 million annual cost.
• Forces are preparing detailed merger plans and reshaping priorities ahead of an autumn spending review that could determine officer numbers and service levels.