Gun licences leave West Midland Police out-of-pocket

It comes as a police chief has reissued his call for the government to increase gun ownership charges to allow forces to recruit extra officers.

West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson says police forces up and down the country could recruit an extra 200 officers if they were not left out of pocket by gun ownership fees.

Currently those wanting to be granted a gun licence or to have their current one renewed have to pay a fee between £62 and £88. But these fees are cheaper than the administration costs to West Midlands Police, which leaves the force out of pocket.

It is estimated that in the 2018/19 financial year, which ends later this month, the force is to lose out to the tune of around £112,000.

Nationally, it is believed the cost to police forces is around £10 million – enough to recruit an extra 200-or-so officers.

Mr Jamieson said: "I am concerned that government mandated charges for shotgun and gun licences means that in effect West Midlands Police is subsidising gun ownership. Research by my team has shown that West Midlands Police is losing nearly £100,000 a year from this and a survey of other forces has shown that police forces across the country are losing around £10 million a year.

"If the government set licence charges at what it actually costs police forces, 200 more officers could be put on the streets across the country.

"It is totally wrong that police forces and therefore the taxpayer is having to subsidise gun licence holders."

The PCC has long campaigned for a change in the gun licensing fees.

In 2018 he wrote a letter to then Home Secretary Amber Rudd asking for the fees to be revised.

He wrote: "Whilst I can appreciate the fact that responsible gun ownership is perfectly legal, I do not think that hard pressed police forces should be taking a financial hit in order to facilitate them.

“The charges the government sets should adequately cover police costs for gun licenses and if I was allowed to recover costs on gun certificates, I could recruit two extra officers.”

His request was unsuccessful.