One size doesn’t fit all for victims

The county’s police and crime commissioner David Lloyd has welcomed the transfer of the grant, which will be used tocommission victims’ services from April 1.

Until now, victim surcharges collected from offenders in courts have been used to commission victims’ services on a national level – but the new arrangement will see budgets transferred to the 41 commissioners like Mr Lloyd across England and Wales for their own areas.

As well as victims’ services, the £1.26million – which makes up 2% of the national total – also includes spending on restorative justice services, further spending for victims of sexual violence and domestic violence and a portion of prisoners’ earnings which is also to be spent on victims.

Minister of state for policing, criminal justice and victims , as well as Hemel Hempstead MP, Mike Penning wrote to the commissioner on Friday confirming the funding allocation for Hertfordshire.

David Lloyd said: “From April, victims’ services will be made to measure in Herts, better reflecting their needs and wishes, as opposed to the one-size-fits-all approach we’ve had up to now. This is a massive step forward in creating a more victim-centred criminal justice system in the county.

“While on paper the overall budget of my office appears to be going up, this does not reflect any increase in cost to the taxpayer.”

Mr Lloyd has frozen the police precept of the council tax bill for the sixth year running.