Force will work to build a case for extra funding – despite Home Office claims that there is no more money available

Lincolnshire Chief Constable Neil Rhodes will keep fighting for extra money for his force – despite being told by Policing Minister Nick Herbert that there is no more cash available.

CC Rhodes tried to persuade Mr Herbert that more money was required to meet a £3m budget gap when the minister recently visited his area. The chief has argued Lincolnshire already has the lowest budget per capita of any UK force.

CC Rhodes told the Spalding Guardian newspaper that his conversation with Mr Herbert focused on the force having “a much fairer share of the national police funding pot – even if that pot is going to shrink”.

The force has found £18m of the £21m in annual savings it must find by the end of the Comprehensive Spending Review period in 2015 but has said it has “very limited means to find the remaining £3m”. In its recent report into policing in austerity, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary said Lincolnshire was one of three forces at risk of failing to provide an efficient or effective service.

But, Mr Herbert said in a later TV interview that there was no more money available.

A force spokeswoman said the chief constable was not surprised by Mr Herbert’s remarks and accepted that it would take time to convince him of Lincolnshire’s case.

She said: “CC Rhodes will ensure that the people of Lincolnshire have their fair share of the national funding. He appreciates this is diminishing but we’ve not had our fair share in the first place. He is determined to challenge that.

“He will be working with HMIC, MPs and the police and crime commissioner to build this case. It’s not going to happen overnight. This work will take time.”