COVENTRY MESSAGE BOARD

Police forces have been granted an extra £300million by the government – but the West Midlands Police chief says it’s another real-terms cut



The latest funding settlement was announced by the Home Office today.

Ministers praised it as the largest increase in police funding since 2010.

But the region’s police and crime commissioner David Jamieson claims wealthier, lower crime areas are getting a better deal.

Since 2010, the force has lost more than 2,000 officers while £175million has been taken from its budget.

Mr Jamieson says the force needs an extra £25.6million to avoid shrinking any further.

But he has been told the force will only be given £15.9million by the Home Office, representing a real-terms cut.

The government settlement is intended to assist with pension costs, pay increases and rising fuel costs.

Police forces will also be expected to increase council tax.

PCCs are currently able to increase it by £12 a year. They will next April be allowed to increase it by £24 for a Band D property.

West Midlands Police charges £128.55 for a Band D council tax payer.

Council tax for police rises by inflation busting 18 per cent - for fewer services



WEST MIDLANDS council tax payers will be paying an inflation-busting 18 per cent on average – to pay for fewer police services.

The portion of council tax bills going to West Midlands Police from April will rise by £24 to £152.55 a year.

It amounts to a 18.67 per cent rise, at a time when the government prevent councils from raising their portion of council tax beyond five or six per cent.

The move was approved by the West Midlands Police and Crime Panel on Monday (February 4).

West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson said:

“To ensure the force doesn’t shrink any further, the government has strongly indicated it expects PCCs to increase council tax by the maximum amount. That means a £24-a-year increase for a Band D taxpayer.

“A £24 increase in the West Midlands still means local people will pay at least £40 less than people living in areas covered by neighbouring forces such as Staffordshire, West Mercia and Warwickshire – who charge much higher precepts.

“With the force still facing real terms cuts it is the only option left to protect officer numbers. I would prefer government not to shift the cost onto local council tax payers, but they have left no other option.

”Government funding does not match the huge increases in pension costs that they have placed on West Midlands Police and inflationary pressures we are facing. This means that to plug the gap in police funding the government have essentially mandated Commissioners to increase the council tax by the maximum amount, or cut officer numbers even further.”

Precept increase will see extra cops on the beat in Warwickshire



Warwickshire's Police and Crime Commissioner has vowed to put more police on the streets after councillors backed his calls for the maximum possible increase in council tax bills.

Philip Seccombe said there was widespread public support for a £24 annual increase for a band D property and members of Warwickshire's police and crime panel backed the tax rise which will be four times that imposed last year.

He explained that while there were cash reserves of more than £18m to cover items including replacement vehicles, buildings and an ICT replacement programme, the extra money would see 85 extra police officers taken on with staffing levels back up towards the all-time high of more than 1,000 officers ten years ago .

County Cllr Pete Gilbert (Con Bedworth East) said it appeared that people were willing to pay more for public services.

But he added: "Crime affects everybody so we need to protect those people and when we ask them to pay more money, it may be met with some hostility if it is not borne out in reality. They may need to be told that there may be a delay because if you say you are going to do something people will expect it to happen instantly.

Stratford District Cllr Tony Jefferson (Con Welcombe) said expectations needed to be managed.

"What people say to me is that they want to see more police officers," he added. "I'm pleased with the proposals and I think the issue is going to be the delivery of numbers. We all have a role to play because these extra numbers aren't going to appear tomorrow, it is going to take time."

Members of the police and crime panel voted unanimously to support the proposed council tax increase.