Cheshire residents to pay £20 extra for police costs

Feb 27 2008 by Liam Murphy, Liverpool Daily Post

PEOPLE in Cheshire will be asked to pay an extra 17% – around £20 a year for Band D properties – for the police force from April.

At their meeting yesterday, Cheshire Police Authority agreed the budget, but warned the Government may yet step in and cap the increase.

The county’s police authority say the extra cash will allow them to increase investment in neighbourhood policing and help fight serious and organised crime.

It will pay for an extra 54 officers and allow the force to step up its battle against serious crime, along with improved witness care.

But tax payers will be asked to pay an extra £1.64 per month for a Band D property, or £19.72 a year, raising the total bill for the police precept element of council tax from £116.03 to £135.75 a year.

The authority points to the results of a recent MORI poll undertaken by the authority which said 87% of the people surveyed were prepared to invest at least an extra £1.50 per month.

Police Authority chairman Peter Nurse said: “This has not been an easy decision to make but we are committed to improving local policing throughout Cheshire.

“The budget we have set will allow us to invest a further £1.6m in local policing teams. This investment is in direct response to what citizens have told us they want, locally based officers dealing with community issues.

“The budget also allows £2.6m to be invested in more officers to tackle serious crime such as targeting those criminal gangs who use the profits from drugs to fund organised criminal activity.

“We will put an additional 54 front line officers to combat serious crime and have a greater presence in our communities. Extra staff will help us to provide better customer service and victim and witness care.

“However, this good news must be taken with caution as, despite us still having the lowest council tax level compared to our neighbouring shire forces, we may be under threat from capping by the Government.”

Peter Nurse added: “Despite this increase, Cheshire is expected to be the sixth lowest funded shire force and continues to represent very good value for local people.”

The average Band D police precept in North Wales is £186.18, and in Staffordshire it is £166.16, both well above Cheshire’s intended £135.75.

Chief Constable Peter Fahy said the 17% increase had been “a most difficult decision for the authority”, but insisted that “the wish of the public of Cheshire for more investment in policing has been clearly expressed”.

He said: “We are facing greater threats from serious and organised crime and more demand to deal with anti-social behaviour.

“This budget will enable us to continue our record of reducing crime and improving customer service.

“We have made considerable savings and efficiencies, but we are now faced with the threat of possibly being capped by the Government for charging £135.75 per year while neighbouring forces do not face such a threat when they propose to charge more per Band D household.

“We believe the public of Cheshire are getting a good deal, stronger local policing while paying a level of council tax well below the national average.”

liammurphy