COUNCIL tax payers will have to fork out extra to cover policing costs.
Government has announced it will give Police and Crime Commissioners (PCC) the same amount of annual funding for police forces, but says commissioners will be able to raise Band D council tax by up to £12 annually to boost coffers.
Warwickshire PCC Philip Seccombe has welcomed the move and says it could see nearly £3million extra added to police budgets per year.
He said: “I have been lobbying ministers hard for fair funding for policing which acknowledges the challenges that forces face, both nationally and locally. I am delighted therefore with the Home Office’s announcement that the precept cap has been lifted, giving me the potential to raise additional funding to support frontline policing here in Warwickshire.
“Additional funding will be very welcome as I continue my ambitious programme of modernisation to ensure that Warwickshire Police has the right technology, training and people to protect communities and deal effectively with changing nature of crime.
“I believe the funding announcement from the government is fair and I am keen to do all I can to protect our frontline policing services here in Warwickshire. I am now consulting the police and our partners across local government to assess their views and needs as I begin the process of setting Warwickshire Police’s budget.”
Mr Seccombe says he will soon be launching a public consultation to see if residents would be prepared to pay more towards policing.
