Police and Crime Commissioner Sarah Taylor launches annual Police Budget Consultation

Norfolk’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Sarah Taylor, has today launched her public consultation for the proposed budget for policing. Norfolk residents are being asked whether the PCC should increase the police precept of council tax for the coming year.

The PCC has a statutory duty to set the police budget and, with this responsibility, make the decision on how much residents of Norfolk should pay towards the policing element of their council tax.

Having completed her two-month public consultation for her Police and Crime Plan, the budget consultation will run over a three-week period until 5pm, Friday 13 November. 

Over the last two months, Sarah has been travelling across the county engaging with residents, at a local level, to find out what matters most to them about policing and crime.  This will inform her spending plans for the next financial year.  However, she would like as many people as possible to have the opportunity to have their say.

Following discussions with Norfolk’s Chief Constable, Paul Sanford, it has become clear that additional funding is needed to maintain the quality of policing being delivered.

In the consultation documentation published today, Sarah said: “While we wait for the Government to confirm next year’s Police Funding Settlement, we already know that a significant increase in funding is needed if Norfolk Constabulary is to continue its excellent work in keeping Norfolk safe. This increase is needed both to cope with costs and to cope with an increase in demand for services. These costs are expected to increase for several reasons, including the impact of inflation on the costs of police officers, staff, supplies and services purchased, and the volume of high harm crimes such as domestic abuse and sexual offences, which require a highly skilled and technical response to investigate them successfully and to provide support to victims.

“The law allows PCCs to raise the policing element of council tax each year, up to a maximum amount before a local referendum is required, in order to meet increased demands and costs. Last year, the increase was about £13 per year, or just over £1 per month for a Band D property. If the same increase were to be used for 2025/26, this would leave the constabulary with a shortfall of £2.9m against the police’s current spending plans.

“Without an increase in funding, the Constabulary would struggle to maintain current levels of service, let alone plan for the future – investing in digital technology and employing a skilled workforce.

“What people have been saying to me at these engagement events is that they want Norfolk Constabulary to have a much stronger focus on prevention to tackle anti-social behaviour, drugs and knife crime. Another common thread has been the experience of victims being let down by the court system which in turn impacts policing because they are supporting victims for longer, all of which requires more funding.”

To inform Sarah’s spending proposals, the consultation will ask Norfolk residents to choose one of three options – whether to:

• increase the policing element of Council Tax only in line with inflationary needs
• to pay more than inflation-related cost pressures dictate, in an attempt to safeguard officer posts and to invest in technology and infrastructure
• to avoid any increase but risk reduced policing services

 

More information and the consultation survey can be found here

People can also take part and request a printed survey by getting in contact with the Norfolk PCC office in the following ways:

Post: OPCCN, Jubilee House, Building 7, Falconers Chase, Wymondham, NR18 0WW

Telephone: 01953 425657

Email: opccn@norfolk.police.uk