Andy Munns
Wiltshire Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson is urging residents to have their say on the policing budget as he considers an average increase of 5.2% – an extra £1.09 a month for a Band D property.
Launched in December by the PCC, the Policing, Priorities and £s survey seeks the views of residents and stakeholders as he develops the budget for policing and commissioned services for the next financial year (2024/25).
As part of the survey, respondents are asked whether their household would be prepared to invest more in policing through the police precept element of their council tax.
This, alongside a grant from the government, accounts for the entire budget for policing in the county. As it stands, due to the national police funding formula, Wiltshire Police is the second lowest funded police force in the country per head of capita.
The Home Office funding settlement sees a real terms increase of just 1.9% (£1.5m) once nationally agreed pay increases and pension changes have been accounted for and now Mr Wilkinson is considering an annual increase of £13 for the average Band D property to continue making improvements within the force.
Even if a £13 per year, per Band D property, increase is agreed, the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner and Wiltshire Police will still need to make savings of £2.4m to cover the funding gap in 2024-25, as set out in the Mid Term Financial Strategy (MTFS).
Despite the cost efficiency savings required, Mr Wilkinson and the Chief Constable have agreed to ringfence police officer, PCSO and Crime and Communications Centre staff numbers.
With significant investment this year in new training facilities in Wiltshire Police and the procurement of two mobile police stations should enable neighbourhood policing teams to get out and about and engage more within communities.
Road Safety has also benefitted from investment this year, with more speed enforcement officers jobs created, and specialist Speed Indication Devices (SIDs) being installed around the county to identify speeding ‘hot spots’ and provide deterrence.
Mr Wilkinson said: “We’ve seen some significant achievements in the past year that should be reassuring to our communities, including a fourfold improvement in positive outcomes for Rape and Serious Sexual Offences and Wiltshire Police becoming the top performing force nationally in disrupting county lines per head in capita.
“Whilst key improvements have been delivered over past 12 months, there is still much to do to make Wiltshire safer as crime and policing demand becomes ever more complex.
“We need to continue to invest in critical areas to maintain the improvements that we are now seeing across the board.
“Wiltshire Police is facing increased financial pressures as we strive to deliver the necessary service improvements required but I am acutely aware the impact any increase could have on our communities at an already challenging time.
“Both the Chief Constable and I are committed to delivering a policing service which meets an ever-changing crime picture and is fit for the future. I am asking for the public to continue to use their voice and have their say.”
Residents in Wiltshire continue to pay the lowest police precept across the South West, and even if an increase is agreed with the Police and Crime Panel, this is unlikely to change.
The survey runs from Tuesday, 5th December 2023, until Monday, 29th January 2024, and can be accessed here.
The MTFS will be presented to the Police and Crime Panel on January 18th. You can live stream the meeting here.
