The Police and Crime Commissioner’s 2020/21 budget for West Midlands Police has unanimously passed by the West Midlands Police and Crime Panel.
The Commissioner is responsible for setting the budget for West Midlands Police. This includes setting the local ‘police precept’, which is the part of council tax that goes to the police. The overwhelming majority of West Midlands Police’s budget comes from central government.
The amount West Midlands Police can now raise per household from council tax is the second lowest in the England at just £162.55. This follows the PCC requesting for the Police and Crime Panel to increase the policing precept by £10 per household (for a band D property).
The Commissioner asked people for their thoughts on a proposed increase of up to £24-a-year increase on the policing precept. Over 70% of the consultation responses were supportive of the budget plans.
The government announced last month that Police and Crime Commissioners will be able to raise the policing precept by up to £10 for 2020/21.
West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson said:
“I want to place on record my thanks to the West Midlands Police and Crime Panel for their overwhelming, cross-party support.
“A £10 increase in the West Midlands still means local people will pay considerably less than people living in areas covered by neighbouring forces which charge much higher precepts – Warwickshire (£237.98), Staffordshire (£226.66)., West Mercia (£226.66).
“Since 2010 West Midlands Police have lost over 2,100 officers and faced real terms cuts of £175 million in government funding. Today’s announcement does not come close to unravelling a decade of under-investment in police forces.
“This budget provides some stability, but the government have failed to provide West Midlands Police with the right resources to see the force standstill.”
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