Rise in Bedfordshire Police's slice of council tax approved amid concerns over escalating costs

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Bedfordshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) warned that policing in the county could face damaging cuts if the policing precept tax was not increased by 5.3 per cent, adding £14 a year for Band D households.

Addressing the Bedfordshire Police and Crime Panel last night (Tuesday, February 4), he defended the proposed increase, stating that without it, the force would struggle to maintain current service levels despite a 6.6 per cent rise in government funding.

The PCC told the Panel that Bedfordshire Police funding is 58 per cent government grant and 42 per cent from council tax payers.

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“So any decision we make will impact on council taxpayers in the county, but any decisions we make on the budget will impact on the quality and effectiveness of policing,” he said.

PCC John Tizard (left) and right, a Bedfordshire Police car and security patrol.PCC John Tizard (left) and right, a Bedfordshire Police car and security patrol.
PCC John Tizard (left) and right, a Bedfordshire Police car and security patrol.

“The budget for the coming year will be about £158 million, that’s an increase on previous years.

“The 6.6 per cent [increase] is very welcome, but some of it is the government almost paying us to do what the government has decided to do, such as the pay award for police officers.

“Also, the government increased national insurance for employers and they’re now paying us money to pay that back to the treasury.”

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The PCC said the increase in government funding and the increase in precept would effectively mean the force would “stand still”.

Proposed Police Council Tax Precept 25/26 Screenshot Item 07b. Budget Report for PCP - FINALProposed Police Council Tax Precept 25/26 Screenshot Item 07b. Budget Report for PCP - FINAL
Proposed Police Council Tax Precept 25/26 Screenshot Item 07b. Budget Report for PCP - FINAL

“The reason I’m doing that is if we were not to increase by that amount, the cuts we would have to make would hit and hurt and damage,” he said.

“It’s the expectation of the government in respect of local authority council tax increases that you increase to the cap limit.

“If we were not to increase to the cap limit, there is a very serious risk that next year the allocation from the government would assume we had spare money.

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“So we would actually get less and we’ll be in a worse position.”

The PCC said if the increase was not endorsed by the panel then there will be cuts “irrespective” of any special grants the force receives.

“If we don’t get the special grants, we need all the resources we have to mitigate that impact, and that includes the precept increase, ” he said.

“I would remind the committee if [it] was mindful not to improve the precept [then] however bizarre the legislation of 2011 was, I could return in two weeks with a precept which was literally less than the penny less than the one I’m proposing.

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“And you would have no choice but to approve it – I don’t want to be that position.

“That’s not a threat, but I mean, I think that’s a reality,” he said.

Independent panel member Lee Melville said: “Just for the record commissioner, I’m very disappointed that you chose to make that remark about the precept potentially not getting accepted.

“I find it quite disrespectful to the panel.”

The panel voted to approve the precept increase “with comments”, including that the panel “is concerned about the escalating cost” of the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner and recommends that it is “significantly reduced” during the PCC’s current term in office.

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