Commissioner consults public on proposed £13 a year funding increase

A £13 a year increase in the council tax is being proposed by the Police and Crime Commissioner David Lloyd to ensure Hertfordshire remains one of safest areas in the country.

The additional money will help maintain the county’s record number of officers and avoid cuts to frontline police services.

Mr Lloyd’s planned increase will bridge the budget gap caused by rising wage and energy costs for running a larger constabulary. It also comes after joint funding for public safety projects has been withdrawn by some public sector partners.

Every year the PCC consults with the public before setting the precept, which is the part of the Council Tax that pays for police services. The budget is also used by the Commissioner’s office to fund a range of community safety projects. This includes commissioning a wide variety of programmes including those for road safety, reoffending reduction services, youth diversion schemes, investigating complaints against police and running scrutiny panels.

For the 2024/25 budget, residents are being asked to share their views on increasing the annual precept, for an average Band D property, from £238 to £251. This equates to a 25p a week increase, with those in other Bandings paying either more or less according to property value.

Running Hertfordshire Constabulary is expected to cost £293m in the next financial year from April 2024. This is funded by a combination of £150m from central government, £117m from the Council Tax and an additional £26m in fees, charges and other grants. Together they would represent an increase of £21m in the police budget, a rise of over seven per cent. The proposed average £13 a year increase would raise an additional £6.1m locally.

Hertfordshire residents will continue to pay the fifth lowest precept in England and Wales.

Mr Lloyd said: “Thanks to the public’s support for investment in previous years Hertfordshire has remained one of the safest places to live and work in England and Wales. According to the government’s official figures we have the fifth lowest level of recorded crime, with 63.6 crimes per 1,000 population, excluding fraud and cybercrime.

“When compared to our neighbouring and most similar county forces we have the lowest amount of crime. When I first became your PCC in 2012 on a typical day in Hertfordshire we had around eight home burglaries a day, it has now reduced to five. 

“Hertfordshire now has record officer numbers. The latest headcount of 2,400 officers, is over 400 more than we had a decade ago. You have repeatedly told me you want more officers and this has now been delivered.”

Mr Lloyd added: “I am aware that many people are facing harsh financial situations due to the increases in the cost of living. Policing is not immune from these pressures either, with wage and energy costs meaning that total standstill costs for the next financial year are estimated to rise by more than £21m.

“This year in Hertfordshire the Chief Constable and I have conducted an extensive joint efficiency and effectiveness review. This has identified cashable savings which will help to contribute towards bridging the budget gap without reducing the number of frontline officers.

“Before I take any decisions on the budget, I want to understand from the people of Hertfordshire about what they feel the local priorities should be.”

An on-line survey opens today December 20 and will run until January 14 2024, it can be accessed at bit.ly/HertsPrecept2024.

The public can also comment in writing via email at [email protected] or by sending a letter to the Police and Crime Commissioner for Hertfordshire, 13 Vaughan Road, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 4GZ.