Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend said policing teams in Surrey will be properly funded to tackle those crimes important to residents after it was confirmed her proposed council tax rise will go ahead earlier today.
The Commissioner’s suggested 4.3% increase in the policing element of the council tax, known as the precept, was discussed this morning at a meeting of the county’s Police and Crime Panel at Woodhatch Place in Reigate.
The nine members of the Panel present, made up of local councillors and one independent member, voted on the Commissioner’s proposal with four votes in favour and four votes against with one abstention. The Chair of the Panel cast the deciding vote against.
However, there were insufficient votes to veto the proposal and the Panel accepted the Commissioner’s precept will come into effect.
Lisa said Surrey Police are one of the fastest-improving forces in the country and today’s decision means they can continue that momentum over the coming year.
Precept to rise
In the last 12 months, Surrey Police has more than doubled its charge rate, with an additional 3,500 offences being prosecuted.
It has also made over 2,500 more arrests and made dramatic improvements in tackling offences important to residents such as burglary, shoplifting, child abuse and rape.
During January, the Commissioner’s office carried out a public survey in which more than 3,200 people took part and gave their views on the proposed precept increase.
Residents were asked whether they would be prepared to pay the suggested £14 extra a year on their council tax bill. 59% of respondents said they would be willing to pay the £14 increase while 41% voted against it.
The policing element of an average Band D Council Tax bill will now be set at £337.57, an increase of £14 a year or £1.16 a month. It equates to around a 4.3% increase across all council tax bands.
Charge rate doubles
One of the Commissioner’s key responsibilities is to set the overall budget for Surrey Police. That includes determining the level of council tax raised for policing in the county which funds the Force together with a grant from central government.
For every pound of the precept level set, Surrey Police is funded by an extra half a million pounds.
But even with the increase this year, the Commissioner said Surrey Police will still need to find around £18m of savings over the next four years and that she would continue to work with the Force to provide the best value for money for residents.
The Commissioner will shortly launch her new Police and Crime Plan for Surrey for the next three years, the draft of which was also discussed at today’s panel meeting.
The Plan will focus on a more ‘back to basics’ approach which the Commissioner said will concentrate on what policing does best – fighting crime in our local communities, getting tough on offenders and protecting people.
‘Back to basics’
Lisa said while it is great news that Surrey Police are arresting more criminals, delays in the criminal justice system mean that victims are waiting longer for those cases to come to court.
A small proportion of the precept will be used to help fund some of the amazing services in the county that Lisa says “provide truly life-changing support to victims of crime in Surrey”.
Commissioner Lisa Townsend said: “Surrey Police has been one of the fastest improving forces in the country over the last year and I am determined to ensure that brilliant progress is sustained.
“That is why it is so vital our policing teams are given the right support and I am delighted that that my precept proposal will go ahead following today’s meeting.
“The contributions the Surrey public make are absolutely crucial in helping our hard-working officers and staff tackle those crimes I know are so important to people in our local communities.
“Your views are invaluable”
“Asking the public for more money in the current financial climate is one of the toughest calls I have to make as Police and Crime Commissioner for this county, and it is not a decision I take lightly.
“But I know from speaking to residents at our recent Policing Your Community events how much they value that visible policing presence and getting a swift and effective police response when they need it.
“This was echoed in the comments made in our council tax survey, in which 59% of respondents who took part said they would be willing to pay the increase to support our policing teams over the next year.
“I want to thank everyone who took part and shared their views – they are invaluable for shaping our policing strategies going forward.
“I am currently putting the finishing touches to my new Police and Crime Plan for the county, which will focus on a ‘back to basics’ approach to policing in our communities.
“Today’s decision will mean our officers and staff will be properly supported to continue to take the fight to criminals and deliver on the priorities in that Plan to make our communities even safer for Surrey residents.”
Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Ellie Vesey-Thompson, on left, and Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend, on right, pictured in front of the Surrey County Council HQ at Woodhatch