As was last year – Police & Crime Commissioner Jason Ablewhite gave the electorate a choice on how much they were prepared to fund increases in Cambs Policing – below is his message sent for this years funding requirements…
| Good afternoon Roy Gerstner
As you have been asked to be updated on news from the Police and Crime Commissioner, the Commissioner has today launched a survey asking people to provide their views on how much they are willing to support policing as part of their council tax.
In a press release issued today, the Commissioner says:
“Chief Constable, Nick Dean and I have been working hard to ensure our Force is as efficient and effective as it can be. Last year, we introduced a new structure for local policing which brought an additional 50 officers to the front line. And, as a result of last year’s increase in the policing part of the council tax, a further 55 officers were also recruited and are now in training. Whilst those additional officers are very welcome, there are some harsh policing realities that we face. Demand on policing is growing. Cambridgeshire is a safe county, but police now spend more time tackling ‘hidden crimes’ such as domestic abuse, child sexual exploitation and modern day slavery. They also spend time working with partners to tackle vulnerability, such as people in mental health crisis.
“Our police force is still one of the lowest funded forces in the country and one of the most efficient costing 42p per person per day against a national average of 51p (per person per day). Cambridgeshire’s population is forecast to grow by 20% by 2031 but with government funding not currently linked to population growth, this is something we continue to press for change.
“We will continue to identify further efficiency savings, however in order to meet future demand, I propose to increase the policing part of the council tax by £2 per month per household (based on a Band D property). This equates to 50p per week or £24 per year. I would be grateful if you could spare a minute to complete a short survey. Your views will then help inform my final decision on how much to raise the policing part of the council tax.”
A link to the survey can be found at :-
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/RHJL6KW
The survey runs from Tuesday 8th until Monday 28th January 2019.
Please note – views can also be given by telephone: 0300 333 3456 or by email: [email protected].
Many thanks
Catherine |
Message Sent By
Catherine Kimberley (Police, OPCC Communications Officer, Cambridgeshire) |
As was last year – Police & Crime Commissioner Jason Ablewhite gave the electorate a choice on how much they were prepared to fund increases in Cambs Policing – below is his message sent for this years funding requirements…