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Council tax increase to fund Nottinghamshire Police approved by councillors

Caroline Henry, Nottinghamshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner brought her tax rise forward as she looks to balance the books at Nottinghamshire Police.

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Gedling borough homes will pay more council tax to the police next year after councillors approved an annual hike.

Caroline Henry (Con), Nottinghamshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, brought her tax rise forward as she looks to balance the books at Nottinghamshire Police.

The rise was approved by councillors at a meeting of the Police and Crime Panel yesterday (February 7).

The rise will help fund work carried out by Notts Police

It means residents living in the average ‘Band D’ home will pay the force an additional £14.94 per year from April, taking the total paid to £209.37.

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For ‘Band A’ homes, which make up most of all homes in the city and county, the increase is £9.96 per year meaning £179.46 is paid in total.

Before agreeing to the rise, the panel was told the force’s budgets had been hit by £4m due to current inflation rates.

A further £13m is also needed to fund staff pay awards, wage increments, restructures and pension contributions.

This has been partly offset by more than £4m in efficiency savings and the council tax hike approved on Tuesday.

Nottinghamshire Police is forecast to have a budget of £261.7m in the upcoming financial year, with £89.6m raised through council tax.

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About £208m in total is spent on staff wages.

Speaking in the meeting, Mrs Henry said: “It’s not easy when we’ve got the cost of living crisis to ask for you to approve a precept increase.

“I know people are really struggling and it’s not a decision I’ve taken lightly, but we must recognise the fact that the police are facing the same financial pressures as everybody else.

“Our costs are increasing and I have a duty to make sure we have an efficient and effective police force in Nottinghamshire.”

The £14.94 Band D rise was just six pence less than the maximum £15 Mrs Henry is allowed to take.

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It led to some concerns from members of the panel that residents will be hit hard.

Cllr Stuart Richardson (Lab), who was Mansfield District Council’s representative, read a statement from the district’s Labour mayor Andy Abrahams.

It said: “[This is] one of the worst cost of living crises for generations.

“Families can barely survive. The [police and crime commissioner] should cut her cloth to meet their needs and not impose a whopping increase.

“The Conservative Government should not shift the responsibility for funding police onto local government. It’s an underhand way of shifting blame.”

During the meeting, Mrs Henry said she has continued to lobby Westminster for different funding methods to support local police forces.

She said meetings with ministers have led to promises of a review into how forces like Nottinghamshire Police receive funds.

However, in the meeting, Cllr Johno Lee (Con), of Newark and Sherwood District Council, said: “We have to remember national government, local government and the police don’t hold their own money.

“No matter whether that funding comes from increasing the precept, national government funding or the county council, it’s still [taxpayers’] money.

“As far as my wallet is concerned, it makes no difference as it’s still coming from my money or my residents’.”

Mrs Henry’s commissioner role is an elected position responsible for overseeing force spending and setting broad priorities.

It is different to the non-political position of Chief Constable Kate Meynell, who is the most senior police officer in the force holding day-to-day operational control.

Mrs Henry’s rise comes as the Nottinghamshire Fire Authority also proposes a £5 annual precept increase for all homes in the city and county.

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4 COMMENTS

  1. Lets hope Arnold gets more officers and keeps our streets crime free for those that live in our wonderful town and also visitors and tourists coming to the town.

  2. I’m sure she will direct the police to concentrate their efforts on impoverished areas like Ravenshead and Rushcliffe.

  3. the goverment want a police force make them pay for it not scrounge of the rate payers we already pay enough so no more initiatives that cannot be paid for out of the budget as it stands,nottinghamshire tax and ratepayer

  4. Nottinghamshire already has the highest council tax rates in the UK so why would they ask us to pay more. This should be about fiscal responsibility in the council not asking normal people to pay more. Why pass the effects of inflation on to people who are already struggling

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