Concern as Cumbria Police Authority agree council tax precept rise

First Published by: Cumbria 24

Cumbria Police Authority has voted to increase its share of council tax by 3.6 per cent in Cumbria this year. Members approved the increase following a vote at the Police Authority meeting at Police Headquarters, Penrith to reject a one-off grant of £1million offered by the Government. This grant is offered to Police Authorities that choose to freeze the amount of Council Tax each household in Cumbria pays in the next financial year.   The Police Authority receives just over two thirds of its funding from central government and the further third from council tax.

Concerns centered around the grant being a one-off payment which would mean that the Police Authority would need to recoup the money in future years by raising council tax more than usual. However, a cap on the increase in annual council tax would mean that the shortfall of the £1million offered this year by the Government may not be recovered by the Constabulary in future years. This would result in the Constabulary needing to save an additional £1million on top of the £20m that needs to be saved by 2015/16.

The agreed council tax rise will equate to an estimated increase of 10p a week for residents in a band B property. The exact amount of the increase depends on the council tax band for residents’ properties.

The Constabulary is already making £20 million savings as a result of the reduction in the government support grant. Chair of the Police Authority Ray Cole said: “This is the last budget that the Police Authority will set ahead of the Police and Crime Commissioners and it was important to get it right for the future of policing in Cumbria.

“We have listened to what the people of Cumbria told us and have increased the council tax in order to maintain our front-line policing in the county. 

“One option was to take the grant from the Government but longer-term this would have had resulted in significant difficulties for the Constabulary in maintaining police officer numbers.”

Chief Constable of Cumbria Constabulary, Stuart Hyde, said: “It was a difficult decision for the Police Authority today and I am extremely grateful that they have taken the bold move to help us address the reduction in central grant.

“Currently, the Constabulary is in the process of reducing its budget by 20% and will continue to find further efficiencies.  It would have been difficult to sustain front-line policing at its current level had the Police Authority accepted the grant.”

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