Kevin Hurley, Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey, has welcomed the unanimous decision of Surrey’s Police and Crime Panel yesterday to approve his proposal to increase the Surrey Police precept – its share of locally raised council tax – by 1.99% for the financial year 2013-14.
The Commissioner made his proposal to the Panel following an intensive programme of consultations and meetings with local residents and organisations around the county.
The 1.99% increase will mean that the sum paid by a Surrey Band D household for policing for the year will rise from £203.49 to £207.55. This represents an increase of approximately 8p per week.
Kevin Hurley said:
“I welcome the unanimous decision of the Police and Crime Panel to support my proposal for a 1.99% increase in the Police share of local council tax. Their scrutiny of my proposal has been robust, wide-ranging and transparent, which is exactly as it should be for a decision of such importance to the public.
“Since my election I have pulled no punches in presenting our difficult financial position to the public. Surrey has historically received one of the lowest levels of Government funding for policing in the country and that funding continues to decrease. The feedback I have received at my recent public meetings has been almost entirely supportive of increasing what we raise through the council tax and seeking an improvement in the level of Government funding for policing in Surrey.
“The Panel’s decision to approve the increase in our share of council tax will help to reduce some of the pressure on Surrey Police’s resources and give them the best chance of delivering the zero-tolerance policing that residents have voted for. However, even with the increase in our share of council tax, the overall budget for Surrey Police next year will be £1m less than the previous year. I cannot and will not relent in seeking out more ways to save money and do better with the resources that we have.”
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– The Police and Crime Panel is responsible for examining the actions and decisions of the Police and Crime Commissioner and for providing information to help the public to hold them to account.
The Panel is a joint committee hosted by Surrey County Council, and consists of one elected Councillor from each of Surrey’s twelve local authorities and two co-opted independent members.
– To read the agenda and papers for yesterday’s Police and Crime Panel meeting, click here: http://mycouncil.surreycc.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=250&MId=2989&Ver=4