Council tax rise to boost police

NORTH Hampshire residents will face an average £15 increase to their council tax bill to raise more money for policing in the county.

Plans for a tax hike aimed at funding more police officers and fighting crime in Hampshire were given the green light by the Hampshire Police and Crime Panel on Friday.

The policing precept of the council tax will increase by £15 per annum, raising an additional £10m for Hampshire Constabulary in 2021/22. This means that the Band D council tax precept for the force will rise from £211.46 to £226.46.

County bosses raised concerns over the impact the rise will have on residents.

But they also acknowledged the need for more support for the police.

During the meeting on Friday, chief constable Olivia Pinkney said the tax rise will help fund 146 additional police officers to be deployed across Hampshire and seven new officers in the Regional Organised Crime Unit.

The money will also help potentially investigate 26,000 more crimes, arrest an extra 300 “of the most dangerous organised criminals” who run county lines drug crime and prevent about 1,000 crimes.

The chief constable said: “This budget is essential and enables us to do more operational policing.

“It means we can do even more to tackle drug-related crime.”

Hampshire residents were previously asked to have their say on the increase.

Police and crime commissioner Michael Lane said: “It is very clear to me that our public are seeking more.

“The significant majority of those who answered the survey declared that they understand the agreement we are making and they were willing to help us.”