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Just a month remains for you to have your say in our annual consultation on the budget for West Midlands Police.

Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster has today urged everybody who has not yet taken part to visit our website and let us know your views.

The PCC is responsible for setting the budget for West Midlands Police, which receives the majority of its funding from central government grant, with the balance being met by way of the Council Tax police precept. It is part of the PCC’s role to set the police precept which is that part of Council Tax, that goes towards paying for local policing.

West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster is now urging people to let him know of their main priorities when it comes to policing the region in order to keep people, their families and communities safe and secure.

He said: “It is vital that as many residents of the West Midlands as possible have their say during the budget consultation.

“It is deeply regrettable that the government is determined to pursue its strategy of requiring the people of the West Midlands to pay more local Council Tax, for less local policing – by effectively mandating an increase in the Council Tax policing precept, in the middle of a cost of living crisis.

“The government has provided us with a stark choice. Increase the Council Tax police precept or face yet further cuts to policing, that would see us lose the equivalent of 260 frontline officers.

“I would encourage everybody in the West Midlands, if you live, work or study in the region to respond to this consultation.”

The PCC is also consulting on the public’s views on an increase to Council Tax police precept, that the government has effectively mandated, by up to £15 per year, for a Band D property, amounting to £1.25 per month. It is important to understand however, that most properties in the West Midlands are in Band A and B and therefore the cost would be less than that.

The West Midlands Police Council Tax police precept is the second lowest in the country at £187.55, for a Band D property and remains at least £60.00 less than neighbouring forces. By comparison, Warwickshire Police currently has a Council Tax precept of £262.71 per year, Staffordshire Police has a precept of £248.57 and West Mercia Police’s precept is £249.66.

An increase of £15 for the year 2023/24, for a Band D property, would mean that West Midlands Police could continue to maintain and recruit officers to prevent and tackle crime, although the budget will remain under severe pressure.

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