Bedfordshire crime commissioner wants police’s slice of council tax bill to rise

Bedfordshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) is hoping to increase the policing precept part of the council tax bill and wants your views.

The proposed increase means you’d have to pay an extra £13 a year for an average Band D property.

You can have your say here

Festus Akinbusoye said: “Over the last year I have spoken to hundreds of residents and community representatives about what they want from their police force. I am also very conscious of the demands and financial pressures that Bedfordshire Police is under, and the areas that His Majesty’s Inspectorate have identified for improvement.

"I am also acutely aware of the pressures on people’s own finances, so appreciate any rise in council tax will have an impact. This all means that difficult decisions need to be made around the precept.

“Even with an increase of £13 in the police precept, the chief constable would still need to make savings to try to maintain the current level of service being provided. Every unit and department of Bedfordshire Police is being examined to identify where these savings can be made and where costs can be reduced.

“The chief and I have agreed that by increasing the precept next year we will be able to close some of the gap created by the outdated funding formula but will still require further innovation and use of technology to support the fight against crime in our county.”

In 2024/25 the focus will be on:

Retail crime – putting CCTV in real time in the hands of police officers

Force control room – increase the level of resourcing. Chat and voice bots will help with non-emergency demand

Crime prevention – bringing in a dedicated superintendent role to develop a countywide crime prevention strategy with a specific focus on preventing serious youth violence and reducing knife related crime

Improved outcomes for victims through immediate justice – alternative ways of dealing with offenders by increasing out of court disposals

Speeding – train and equip special constables with monitoring and enforcement techniques to reduce speeding

The police precept survey closes at 5pm on January 12.