1 February 2010
Last chance to have your say on police funding
This week is the last chance for people to have their say on the policing budget for next year, through a survey from South Wales Police Authority.
The survey, available online at www.southwalespoliceauthority.org.uk, asks for opinions on the police element of council tax and other funding issues.
Chair of the Police Authority, Councillor Russell Roberts, said:
“It is no secret that South Wales Police Authority, like many organisations, is facing a tough financial future. Last year we made the difficult decision to hold the police precept element of the council tax at 5%, despite advice from the Chief Constable that a higher increase was needed. We did this after balancing the needs of the service against the needs by our communities to keep council tax increases as low as possible. This year, the decision will be just as tough.
“This short survey asks for your views, as members of the public, on what you think would be reasonable for the increase.”
At present, South Wales Police Authority charges £146.35 per year in council tax for a Band D household – about the same as the TV licence. This amount is the smallest of the four police forces in Wales.
Councillor Roberts continued:
“Setting the budget and the policing element of council tax is one of the most difficult jobs for the Authority. We have to balance the needs of the police service with the requirement to keep the council tax at the lowest possible rate.
“Our already very tight budget is made even tighter for us by not receiving our full grant allocation from the Home Office, who appear not to appreciate the unique policing pressures faced by South Wales Police.”
Nearly three quarters of the police budget is made up from government grants. The amount of grant given is calculated using a funding formula. For the next financial year, the formula has found that South Wales Police should receive £184million. However, the total we will receive is £181.5million - £2.5million less. This has been taken away from our grant allocation and given to the other police forces who do not reach the minimum funding requirement.
The results from the survey will be provided to the Police Authority at its meeting on 15 February, when the council tax precept will be set.