PCC seeks views on proposed tax increase

SOUTH Yorkshire’s police budget boss wants taxpayers’ views on a council tax rise to make up for falling government funds.

Police and Crime Commissioner Dr Alan Billings launched an online survey on his proposal today.

Around a quarter of South Yorkshire Police’s budget comes from council tax — a slice of the tariff called the precept.

The rest comes from central government via the police grant, which is set to be reduced by £1 million while costs continue to rise.

Dr Billings said: “The government recently announced that there would be no cuts to police funding next year. This was a little misleading.

“What has now become clear is that the police grant will be reduced by £1m.

“There will be no provision for inflation, such as increases in salaries and additional demand on police services, which comes to about £7-8 million.”

PCCs around the country have been told to meet the shortfall by raising the precept to the maximum allowed, Dr Billings added.

In South Yorkshire, this would mean a council tax increase of around 10p per week or £5 per year, per person.

“I have to decide in the next few weeks whether to do this,” Dr Billings said today.

“If we do increase the precept by this amount, I would use some of it to strengthen neighbourhood policing, including PCSOs.

“Without the increase, that will be very hard to do.”

The PCC is urging taxpayers to have their say by completing his online survey, available at tinyurl.com/sypcctax.