Police boss needs to convince us that he’s doing a good job

WE’RE being asked for our views on paying more council tax to provide a funding boost for police.

Police and crime commissioner Clive Grunshaw is to consult with the public after proposals to raise council tax precepts were approved at a police and crime panel meeting.

Lancashire Police will get an extra £7m from central government next year, and Mr Grunshaw can charge up to an extra £12 per household if he wishes too.

In order to determine how much to raise the precept by, Mr Grunshaw has approved spending £12,300 on a consultation where people will also be asked about policing priorities in Lancashire and how they prefer to contact the police.

Mr Grunshaw says the extra £7m does not even cover the increase to employer pension contributions for policing, announced in September.

Mr Grunshaw said: “Once again the government has passed the buck on to council tax payers and failed to address the concerns raised up and down the country that after eight years of budget cuts, removing £84m – equivalent to over 25 per cent of the budget in 2010/11 – from policing in Lancashire with a further £18m still to find over the next few years.”

While most police force funding comes directly from central government, around 30 per cent is drawn from council tax through the policing precept levy.

The problem for Mr Grunshaw will be convincing people in areas like Rossendale that we’ll see any material difference in support for local police if we do pay extra - or explain what we’ll lose out on if we don’t.

Given the police station closures in recent years, compounded by the closing off of Waterfoot front counter to the public, Mr Grunshaw will do well to convince people here in Rossendale he’s doing a good job for this area.