Shailesh Vara MP has hosted a meeting in Parliament to discuss local policing matters.

Huntingdon MP Jonathan Djanogly also attended the session as did Cambridgeshire Police and Crime Commissioner Darryl Preston and Cambridgeshire Constabulary chief constable Nick Dean.

Among the issues discussed was the disparity in payment of the South East Allowance. This is an additional payment made to police officers in some forces to reflect the cost-of-living in the south east region.

While the allowance is provided to officers in neighbouring areas, such as Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, it is not extended to Cambridgeshire officers.

Liz Groom, chair of the Cambridgeshire Police Federation, also attended the meeting and spoke about the need to "change the national police funding formula", which is the process by which financial resources are distributed to police forces.

Mr Vara and others feel that Cambridgeshire does not receive its due allocation and this can be rectified by reviewing the funding formula.

It was agreed that Mr Vara, along with Mr Djanogly and other Cambridgeshire MPs, would follow up some of the issues with the Home Secretary, James Cleverly MP, especially regarding the disparity in the allocation of the South East Allowance.

Following the meeting, Mr Vara said: “I was very pleased to host this meeting and there is clearly much to be done to ensure that there is fair treatment and payment for Cambridgeshire police officers.  

“I will be working with my colleague Jonathan Djanogly and other Cambridgeshire MPs to take matters up with James Cleverly. 

“It simply isn’t right that while officers in Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire receive this allowance, their colleagues in Cambridgeshire are excluded from it, despite the very close collaboration between the forces."