Almost 87% of high harm crimes recorded in Surrey do not result in any satisfactory action taken against the perpetrator.

High harm crimes are made up of serious sexual offences, domestic abuse involving violence, child abuse and hate crime.

The percentage of high harm crimes recorded in the county that resulted in a positive outcome has halved in the last five years, and for the year to date stands at 13.2%.

A crime is said to have a positive outcome when either it ends up in court, regardless of the verdict, or it is instead dealt with by way of a penalty notice, caution, or community resolution.

Reigate and Banstead Women's Aid is a refuge in East Surrey for women and children fleeing severe domestic abuse.

Chief executive Charlotte Kneer said: "I am saddened by this figure. I suspect the reason is that police are fighting exceptionally hard against a backdrop of huge cuts from national government.

"It is a clear indication that more resources need to be put into tackling these high harm crimes.

"It is particularly disappointing to hear this on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women."

Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) David Munro acknowledged the low level was of "great concern".

It was 26.5% in the year 2015-2016 and has declined every year since, most drastically to 19.5% in 2017-2018, followed by 17.5% in 2018-2019 and 13.3% in 2019-2020.

Tandridge District Councillor Bob Milton, who sits on the police and crime panel holding the PCC to account, yesterday (Tuesday 24) said he could not sign off a recommendation to note progress on the Police and Crime Plan when the positive outcome rates were "so poor".

The PCC panel requested a detailed report about how improvements will be made.

"I'm very concerned," said Waverley Borough Councillor John Robini. "We all know that in these Covid times, publicity says that these crimes against vulnerable people have increased."

Reported domestic abuse incidents peaked in May at the height of the first lockdown, with 1,509 offences reported compared to 1,292 in May 2019 (a rise of 16.8%).

PCC Mr Munro said: "I have never concealed and I still don't, that I'm not happy and neither is the force with the clear-up rate.

"The police are working very hard indeed and I assure you are not at all complacent. "

He said although it was too low, it did compare favourably with other forces across the country.

"There are considerable efforts being made, problem-solving teams being formed," he told the panel.

Concern about the issue was first raised at the meeting by Surrey County Councillor Andrew Povey.

Mr Munro said: "For the first three years of my tour we were suffering cut after cut after cut; your government Mr Povey imposed that, and it will take a long time to recover."

Cllr Povey responded: "I think I have to remind the commissioner that it was his government at the time when he stood."

Mr Munro, who stood on a Conservative platform in 2016 but is now independent, replied: "It certainly was but thank goodness, unlike yourself Dr Povey, I now have the freedom to speak my mind and I shall take advantage of it."

Chancellor Rishi Sunak's spending review today (Wednesday 25) promised an additional £400 million to help recruit 20,000 additional police officers nationally by 2023, with 6,000 new officers in 2021-22.

The BBC's Reality Check team said adding 20,000 police officers will return total staffing levels to the 143,000 police officers employed prior to the 2010 election when the Conservatives came to power.

Surrey's positive outcome rate for all recorded crimes overall is only slightly better than its high harm crimes rate. It was 14% for August 2019 – July 2020 (10,348 out of 73,893 crimes).

This is a slight drop from 14.6% for August 2018 – July 2019 (11,120 out of 76,336 crimes).

The rate did rise between January and May 2020 but then fell again.

April 2020 saw one of the lowest levels of crime recorded in Surrey, due to national lockdown, and crimes recorded for the 12 months to July 2020 were down 3.2% on the previous year.

But, the volume of crime steadily increased and returned to normal over the months that followed.

Surrey had the sixth lowest crime rate (64.5 per 1,000 population) across England and Wales in March 2020, according to ONS figures.