Council tax rise to help police services agreed
BBCPlans to increase council tax by £15 a year on average to help fund police services have been approved.
The Devon and Cornwall Police and Crime Panel agreed to a 5.2% rise from April following a proposal by Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Alison Hernandez.
It equates to £1.50 a month on a Band D property over 10 months, which is the maximum the government allows PCCs to raise council tax.
Hernandez said benefits from the increase included the recruitment of additional PCSOs, improvements to services for victims of sexual violence and retaining a "record" number of 3,610 officers.
'Get same or less'
Hernandez said even with the maximum rise, the force's budget would only go up by 4.2% in 2026/27 compared to the national average of 4.5%, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.
She said one of the reasons for the shortfall was £5m of funding, previously allocated to cover the cost of recruiting 95 officers, had been reduced to £2.5m.
This meant the force was left with a funding gap equivalent to the loss of 47 officers.
Hernandez said: "I have always committed to our local taxpayers that if they pay more they get more.
"For the first time, I'm going to have to ask people to pay more to get the same or less."
Hernandez added plans for a new inquiry desk at Launceston had been shelved, but the money would secure the 17 which had reopened.
'Maintain basic services'
Council tax payers provide 43% of the funding for Devon and Cornwall Police with the remainder coming from central government.
Panel member and West Devon Borough Council leader Mandy Ewings said all authorities were increasing part of the council tax up to the maximum too.
"The government expects all of us to do that because that is what the funding settlement relies on," she added.
"It is forcing us to do something just so we can maintain basic services and it is morally wrong.
"We had a choice before but now we don't."
