Police plan council tax rise to pay for 50 new officers
BAND D HOUSEHOLDS WOULD PAY £15 A YEAR MORE
MORE than 130 new police officers will be recruited next year – partly funded by a rise in council tax.
Lord (Willy) Bach, Leicestershire’s Labour Police and Crime Commissioner has outlined plans to increase the precept paid by city and county band D households by £15 a year, equating to a 6.43 per cent increase.
The budget will go before councillors next week. If the increase is approved, it will fund 50 new officers at a cost of £2 million.
The budget report, setting out plans, states: “The planned increase of 50 officers in 2021-22 will deliver enhancements to neighbourhood policing, the rural and heritage crime team, serious crime investigation, sex offender management, anti-fraud capability, and violent and complex crime investigation and problem solving, including knife crime.”
Another 88 new recruits will be funded by the second year of the government’s 20,000 new officers programme.
By this time next year there will be 2,242 officers in the force, compared to the current total of 2,104. In 2010, the force had 2,317 police officers.
The report detailing the need for the increase and how it will be spent outlines the challenges faced by the force.
“It should be noted that whilst funding has reduced significantly, demand for the service is very high. This is no surprise when the increase in population in the area is taken into account,” it reads.
Figures included show in the last financial year Leicestershire Police took 139,366 999 calls; 332,546 calls to 101; made 15,366 referrals to child protection teams; dealt with 22,316 domestic incidents and crimes and responded to 7,007 missing people incidents. The report continues: “Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland receive approximately £189 per head of population which is lower than the national average. If funding was lifted to the average around £20 million more funding would be available for investing in policing in the area.” Comments written by Chief Constable Simon Cole are included in the report. He states: “This is the 11th occasion I have been involved as Chief Constable in the budget-setting process for Leicestershire Police; it is the first that has required the setting of a budget during an international pandemic.
“In fulfilling that responsibility, it remains the case the consistent feedback from communities is they want to see more policing across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. This budget proposal continues the process of restoration that the PCC and this panel have supported across recent years.
“Investment last year has seen us able to replace those who leave the force, and to grow back some of the capacity that we have lost across the last decade.
“In 2020, we recruited and trained 383 new police officers and 60 police community support officers; now deployed in communities across
LLR. We also welcomed 202 new members of police staff.
“This budget can make a significant and positive operational difference and one that will be noticed by people living and working in neighbourhoods across the force.”
The police precept increased by £24 per year in 2019 and £10 per year in 2020. The city and county councils have outlined plans to increase council tax.
It should be noted that whilst funding has reduced significantly, demand for the service is very high
Budget report