PCC consulting public on Council Tax rise

10 December 2018

Leicestershire’s Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Lord Willy Bach is asking the public if they would support an increase in the policing element of the Council Tax, a move welcomed by Leicestershire Police Federation chair Dave Stokes.

Lord Bach wants to see if people would be prepared to pay an extra amount of up to £2 per month to allow for a re-investment in policing.

“I’m not surprised that Lord Bach is seeking public opinion, I’ve met him several times in my role as Leicestershire Police Federation chair and he is a warm and approachable person. That said, he is intrusive in terms of ensuring public satisfaction and I’m sure that if there was support for an increase he would want to see an increase in capability.

“I make no apologies for repeating my concerns about Government cuts to policing but, in my opinion, Lord Bach’s consultation is further evidence that he is trying to do right by the residents of Leicestershire and Rutland because cuts are having serious consequences. The short term solution is the council Tax increase, but how much more convincing does the Government need to see the impact of the cuts to Policing.  

“As a resident of Leicestershire, I will take part in the consultation and I do support an increase, but perhaps that’s because I see police officers and senior leaders trying to do the best they can but with depleted police numbers and funds.”

The budget for policing in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland during 2018-19 was set at £176.3 million. Around two thirds of that comes from Central Government with the remainder raised through the policing element of the Council Tax.

In Leicestershire, since 2010, there has been around a 30 per cent reduction in Government funding despite a significant increase in the population. As a result, the Force has had to cut officer numbers by 541 - around 23 per cent.

But Lord Bach is keen to invest in the police and wants to ensure the Force has the resources it needs to provide the type of police service the public expect and deserve.

And he says he has little option but to consider increasing the policing element of the Council Tax. This is in line with what the Government has said it expects PCCs across the country to do.

The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) wants to hear the views of the public and is urging them to fill in the short survey.

OPCC budget consultation