Towards the end of 2025 Commissioner Lisa Townsend carried out a public consultation on the proposed level of council tax to be raised for 2026/27.
The consultation launched in December 2025 seeking the public’s views on the Commissioner’s proposed increase of £14 a year based on an average Band D property – £1.16 a month.
Following the conclusion of the consultation, the results showed that 56.5% of respondents supported an increase in council tax. The Commissioner subsequently presented her proposal for the Surrey Police budget at a meeting of the county’s Police and Crime Panel in February 2026. The proposed increase increase in council tax received majority approval by the Panel’s members.
Supporting the Chief Constable
Surrey Police has made amazing strides over the last two years in tackling those crimes important to residents.
The number of charges across the board has more than doubled and 40% more crimes have been solved. Burglary rates have reduced by 14% over the last year while vehicle crime is down by 36%. The number of charges for rape has doubled while there has been a 465% rise in charges for shoplifting to combat the growing trend of retail crime.
This has all been made possible by the contributions the Surrey public make through their council tax contributions.
But the Chief Constable wants to do even more to make towns and communities in Surrey feel safer for residents.
In order to maintain this momentum, protect victims and take the fight to the criminals, funding is desperately needed to ensure all the hard work over the last two years isn’t undone.
Fighting crime in our communities
Every pound of precept amounts to an extra half-a-million pounds in the policing budget.
Your money will go towards ensuring that not only is the Chief Constable given the resources to maintain the level of service but to also continue the impressive results he has achieved since taking up the role two years ago.
Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey Lisa Townsend said: “I vowed last year that the contributions Surrey residents make through their council tax would go towards what policing does best – fighting crime in our local communities, getting tough on offenders and protecting people.
“The improvements we have seen have been nothing short of incredible.
“More criminals are being put before the courts and taken off our streets. Burglary and vehicle crime rates have fallen dramatically whilst charges for shoplifting and violence against women and girls have risen hugely.
“It is always really tough asking the Surrey tax-payer to pay more money, particularly in the current financial climate. But my job is to ensure our local policing teams remain properly funded in the face of some tough financial challenges.
“I want to ensure we build on the fantastic progress already made, continue to tackle those crimes important to our residents and invest in those fantastic services in the county that provide truly life-changing support to victims of crime in Surrey.”
Learn more
- Read our Council tax FAQ
- Read the Commissioner’s open letter to the public
- Read the Commissioner’s letter in response to the Police and Crime Panel’s approval of council tax increase
- Read our council tax leaflet for 2026/27
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