Merseyside crime commissioner bids to increase police funding (From Wirral Globe)

Merseyside crime commissioner bids to increase police funding

1:30pm Friday 25th January 2013 in News

Merseyside’s Police and Crime Commissioner has presented her first budget, asking for a 2% funding increase.

Jane Kennedy says the rise is needed to prevent having to lose more frontline officers.

Ms Kennedy said a zero-rate increase would bring a council tax grant from the Government of £638,000 per year for the next two financial years; this would force Merseyside to cut a further 25 police officers over the next three years.

The 2% increase would allow Merseyside Police to keep officer numbers at their current levels and would cost “Band A” council tax payers - the majority on Merseyside - £2.01 per year, or 4p a week.

Ms Kennedy said: “Today I am sending my precept proposal to the Police and Crime Panel for scrutiny.

“I propose to increase the precept by around £1m bringing it to £51m, an additional 2%, which enables me set a balanced budget, maintain police officer numbers and protect frontline services.

“I am also reducing the costs of my own office by £800,000 over the next two years in order to contribute to keeping the precept as low as possible and defend the police budget from further cuts.”

Merseyside Police has seen a reduction of 624 officers and 177 staff posts since 2010.

Anyone wanting to have a say on the Police Commissioner’s proposals can comment online at www.merseysidepcc.info