An extra £15 million will be provided to Metropoliton Police next year to boost resources and help officers tackle the knife crime epidemic in London, the Mayor announced.

On top of the policing boost, Sadiq Khan also said he will consider if any additional income raised from council tax can be invested in youth services across the city that help combat knife crime.

Issuing his draft budget on Wednesday (January 17), the Mayor confirmed the cash injection is part of a new additional £49 million pot of funding that will be available to Met Police over the next year.

In addition to the £15 million to combat knife crime, £20.1 million will be allocated to cover the cost of a 2% police pay increase in 2018/19.

The remaining £13.9 million will be made available to the Commissioner to invest in officer numbers and to step up the fight against crime this year and next.

Sadiq Khan said: “Keeping Londoners safe is my first priority and I reluctantly took the decision to increase council tax because of government cuts and their failure to back the Met Police with funds that they need.

“Of these additional funds, I am pleased to announce that an additional £15m will be allocated to help officers on the streets to get to grips with knife crime."

Sadiq Khan has announced a cash boost for Met Police to help tackle knife crime

He added: “Our police officers are doing everything to tackle the scourge of knife crime in the face of massive budget cuts, falling officer numbers and the growing threat from terrorism.

“Londoners will see tougher action on knife crime throughout 2018 as we look to use all of the tools available to make our streets safer.”

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The funds come one week after 25-year-old was fatally stabbed through the heart in Shepherd's Bush and nearly three weeks after four teenagers were stabbed to death at New Year.

Despite the current knife crime epidemic, since 2010 Met Police's general grant funding from the government has fallen by more than £700,000.

This has led to the loss of a third of police staff posts, two-thirds of police community support officer posts, as well as 114 police station front counters and 120 police buildings.

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