THE Conservatives have “neglected” rural communities as data reveals Avon and Somerset Police has only four officers and staff dedicated to countryside crime, the Liberal Democrats claim.

The “damning” statistics and comments come as Benet Allen, the Lib Dem candidate for the force’s police and crime commissioner post, calls for change in the wake of dog control incidents and illegal raves on Exmoor.

PCC candidate Benet Allen said: "This is a damning statistic for our region where the rural community makes up a significant part of our landscape and income.

"Last year, Liberal Democrat MP for Tiverton and Honiton, Richard Foord, tabled a Bill that would require the Home Secretary to bring forward a strategy for tackling rural crime. While current initiatives such as Project Recall that aims to raise awareness about dog control in rural areas is welcome, much more needs to be done."

Through a series of Freedom of Information requests, the Liberal Democrats have uncovered how many officers and staff are assigned to rural crime teams in each police force.

A total of 37 forces provided responses, including Avon and Somerset. The revelations come as rural crime remains on the rise. NFU Mutual’s 2023 Rural Crime Report revealed that in 2022, the cost of rural crime across the UK rose by 22 per cent, to an estimated total of £49.5 million.

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey MP said: “Yet again, we are seeing the shocking neglect of our rural communities from this Conservative government. 

“Local communities are worried sick about the impacts of rural crime, and to have such a small number of officers dedicated to tackling this serious issue is shocking. No wonder so many cases are going unsolved and criminals are getting off the hook."

The Liberal Democrats are arguing that every force should have a specialist coordinator in their rural crime team, in line with recommendations from the National Rural Crime Network. 

Rural crime is “crime and anti-social behaviour occurring in rural areas”, and includes many specific types of crimes that are unique to the countryside like livestock and machinery theft.