Have your say on police budget

Police and Crime Commissioner John Dwyer is asking people across Cheshire for their views on community safety and how much residents should contribute to the police budget through their local tax.

Last year, residents in Cheshire supported a small rise in the police precept (the part of Council Tax that pays for policing). This enabled Cheshire Police to maintain and improve performance in 2023 in key areas such as:

• 999 calls answered 2 seconds faster and 101 calls answered 58 seconds faster.
• Emergencies attended 34 seconds faster and non-emergencies attended 8 minutes 56 seconds faster.
• Highest number of officers ever, with more officers on the beat as part of the community policing model.
• Over 2,000 more arrests, with more offenders charged and ‘action taken’. 

Police and Crime Commissioner John Dwyer said:

“I have to set a budget for the next year that gives the police the resources they need to meet your expectations and keep you safe. To do that I need your feedback on what issues affect your community, how safe you feel, and how much you think local people should contribute to the police budget.

“Last year residents backed a small rise in the police precept. Look at the results: Calls are being answered faster, incidents are being responded to quicker, there have been more arrests, more criminals charged and more ‘action taken’. Cheshire’s streets have more officers and fewer criminals on them. These are the basics of policing that people expect and in 2023 Cheshire Constabulary improved across all of them with the public’s support.

“Nobody should be in any doubt about the difference that having your say makes to policing in Cheshire. It’s through your support that the police were able to make our county even safer in 2023, so please do have your say.”

Government funding for Cheshire Constabulary is set to increase, but not by the nearly £16 million added to the cost of policing. Savings of over £6 million have been identified, but to find extra funding for policing Commissioners can increase the police precept by £13 per year - £1.08 per month - for a Band D Council Tax property, without the need to hold a referendum. Nearly two thirds of Cheshire properties fall into Bands A-C, meaning most households would pay less.

Answers to frequently asked questions about the police budget and survey are available at: 

www.cheshire-pcc.gov.uk/what-the-commissioner-does/setting-the-police-budget/budget-2024-25

The survey will close at midday on Tuesday 23 January.

Have your say at: 

www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/policebudget202425

Pictured - Police and Crime Commissioner John Dwyer.