Highlights: Police chief Bill Skelly on streetlights, funding pressures and Grantham A&E

Chief Constable of Lincolnshire Police Bill Skelly joined The Lincolnite for a live web chat on Thursday, May 18, addressing questions directly from readers.

The police chief tackled subjects from new psychoactive substances to funding requirements from the new government post June 8 and the impact high demand for A&Es and ambulances has on officers.

Catch up with the interview highlights here:

Mr Skelly took on the role of Lincolnshire Police Chief Constable in February, replacing Neil Rhodes.

He told The Lincolnite that the transition from Devon and Cornwall Police had been “very pleasant”, and that he had made a home in Nettleham.

In his first four months in the role, Mr Skelly said it was apparent that priorities for the future would need to include investment in resources to tackle digital crime.

He also acknowledged readers’ concerns that their safety was being compromised by nighttime street light switch offs across the county and revealed that a study is being carried out to assess the direct correlation between street light schedules and crime levels.

On the topic of ongoing campaigns for a better funding deal for central government. The chief constable said: “We had hoped that central government would be able to give us an indication of a review of the central government grant in around April or March this year. We’d had lots of positive noises coming from central government over the last year and a half around what that settlement could look like.

“Unfortunately for us, because we would like some certainty for our workforce and we’d like some certainty for our budget planning going forward for the next two or three years, the calling of a general election for national reasons has meant that that discussions over the grant has been delayed.

“We’re now anticipating that it will be into the late summer and possible early autumn before we have that communication.

“In the past, I have been given a certain number of reassurances. Until we know the future of government, we know we will have to re-engage with whoever that is.”

He also added that should extra funding not be achieved, he would be looking at ways in which to protect the budget and keep the number of officers on the force.

Watch the interview back in full here: