Members of Cambridgeshire Police Authority’s Finance and Resources Committee have voted in favour of recommending a 2.95 per cent increase in the policing part of Council Tax (precept). The final decision will be taken by the full Police Authority on February 9.
If approved, the increase amounts to ten pence per week for a Band D household.
The recommendation comes after weeks of engagement with the public and discussion with the constabulary over whether or not to accept a one off grant offered by the Government to freeze Council Tax at the current level.
Councilor Shona Johnstone, the authority’s Finance and Resources Chairman, explains: “This offer is not quite as good as it first seems. It’s for one year only which would leave us in a worse situation in coming years, leaving the new Police & Crime Commissioner [who will be elected in November] with a decision over whether to make further cuts of £1.5m (equivalent to 37 constables) or increase Council Tax significantly from April 2013 to preserve current levels.”
The Committee heard that there was 'no groundswell of adverse public reaction to potentially raising precept by up to three per cent to preserve levels of service, once people heard the context of the dilemma', despite reaching thousands of people with the message.
If the full authority accepts the recommendation to increase the precept it will cost around £5 per year for a Band D household.
Background notes
In autumn 2010, the Government announced massive reductions in public spending for the four year period 2011-12 to 2014-15.
In December 2010, the Government announced how much grant it would give to the Police Authority in 2011-12 and 2012-13. Over the two years Cambridgeshire will get about £11m less than previously (5% to 6% less per annum). In the following two years (2013-14 and 2014-15) we expect the reductions to be slightly less severe.
The Authority’s net spending this year (2011-12) is £130m. Of this, £47m (36 per cent) is financed by local Council Tax payers and the balance of £83m (64 per cent) by Government grant.
The policing element of the current Band D Council Tax is £169.56 per annum (£3.26 per week). Most households in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough are below Band D.
Cambridgeshire Constabulary has already identified £11m of the £17m currently estimated to be required over four years. A one per cent increase in the Council Tax is three pence per week.
Contact details
Cambridgeshire Police Authority
Hinchingbrooke Park
Huntingdon
PE29 6NP
Tel: 0300 333 3456.
E-mail: authority@cambs.pnn.police.uk.
Web: www.cambs-pa.gov.uk.