A PENNY a day on council tax bills will help keep the criminals at bay in Warwickshire.
So said Warwickshire Police Commissioner Ron Ball as he launched a public consultation to hear county residents’ views on his proposal to increase the policing precept in Warwickshire by 1.99 per cent in the coming year. The hike would mean an extra 30p on a month on average council tax bills – or 1p a day.
Mr Ball fears if the current council tax rate was frozen, Warwickshire would lose around £340,000 next year and £700,000 every year after, resulting in a financial hole of around £3.1 million over the next five years, impacting significantly on policing in the county.
This just after the Government announced Warwickshire’s policing budget would be cut by 5.1 per cent – over £2.6 million.
While the Strategic Alliance has meant Warwickshire and West Mercia Police are in a stronger position than most other forces, Warwickshire still need to make savings of up to £10.1 million over the next five years.
Regarding the precept hike, Mr Ball told The Observer: “In these cash strapped times I am not making this proposal lightly. Nor am I thinking short term and going for electoral popularity.
“How policing will look in the future is dependent on decisions being taken now and I have some real concerns about the continual erosion of police funding. I have no intention of leaving myself or my successors in a bind.”
In the coming year Warwickshire Police is planning major campaigns to tackle child sexual exploitation, domestic abuse and cyber crime.
Views on the precept rise should be emailed to [email protected] by January 26.
The consultation runs until 5pm on Monday 26 January 2015.
