Police funding must not overburden taxpayers - PCC

A Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) is aiming to avoid "over-burdening the taxpayer" with the rising cost of policing.

The size of the police tax precept paid by Shropshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire residents has gone up by 54% since John Campion was elected in 2016, he says.

The Conservative PCC has now said "enough is enough," and while he had "no choice" about asking for a another tax rise this year, he also wanted the government to contribute more.

In its spending review last year, the government said the "spending power" of police forces would go up by an average of 2.3% per year in real terms by 2029, assuming local taxes go up too.

Campion said upping the government's contribution was necessary because "even with the public's support, through the precept, we are still facing a budget gap".

The PCC is currently consulting on his proposal to increase the police precept by the maximum amount allowed.

He said the government's funding proposals for police forces "left a number of police forces, including West Mercia, with a great amount of concern and uncertainty".

West Mercia expects to receive a funding increase of £5.1m in the coming financial year, but Campion said he would also need to increase the amount people pay the police force in tax by 5.2%.

"Funding for policing has always been a combination of local and national funding; however, it should be about balance with local taxpayers not carrying the burden," he said.

"This is clearly not a fair balance."

Campion said that over the past 18 months, the force had taken "significant steps" to reduce costs and had cut 300 civilian roles.

Despite this, he said the force would struggle to meet rising costs.

In his draft budget report, he wrote: "As it currently stands there is a real risk that we cannot continue to deliver a policing service that the public would expect."

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