Page 47 - link magazine

Letters

Commissioner consults on £3.12 a year
increase in police part of council tax

Police and Crime Commissioner Angus Macpherson
The Police and Crime Commissioner “The HMIC calculated that the
for Wiltshire and Swindon, Angus cost per head of population of a
Macpherson, is carrying out a Wiltshire Police officer was just
consultation on a proposal to £75 in 2014-15, compared to £115
increase by 1.9 per cent the police across England and Wales, and yet
part of the council tax for 2016-17. victim satisfaction with Wiltshire
That would mean an extra £3.12 a Police matched the national figure
year (or 6p a week) for the average of 84 per cent.
band D property. At present, band D “It is important to note that the
homes pay £163.98 a year. cost of policing to the people of
Out of the 43 forces in England Wiltshire and Swindon is the lowest
and Wales, only two receive less in the South West region.
funding per head of population than “Ensuring value for money for
Wiltshire. residents in Wiltshire and Swindon
Mr Macpherson said: “The police while maintaining high quality
grant settlement that we received services is very important to me.
from the Home Office in December “That is why we are embracing
showed a slight reduction in the new ways of working across the
central government grant for public sector, collaborating with
Wiltshire Police. other PCCs and police forces in the
“Initial indications are that a south west and with local partners.
further saving will need to be made “As public sector budgets continue
in 2016-17 of between £2.6m and to be squeezed, the aim is to work
£3.4m. more effectively together to both
“The proposed £3.12 a year improve customer service and
increase would provide me with reduce costs.”
an additional £769,000 of local The consultation opened on 5
income for 2016-17. This would January 2016 and closes at 10am on
help to cover rising costs, including Tuesday 2 February.
£2m worth of National Insurance During this time the Commissioner
contributions from which we have and senior staff from his office
previously been exempt. will be attending Wiltshire Council
“The money raised from the police area boards and Swindon Borough
part of the council tax will also be Council locality meetings to talk to
used to protect community policing the public about the proposal.
which I believe is greatly valued by Parish and town councils and
people in Wiltshire and Swindon. the business community will also
“This is an average increase of be invited to contribute to the
just over £3 a year, little more than consultation.
the price of a large coffee in some The Police and Crime Panel meets
coffee shops or a pint of beer. again at County Hall, Trowbridge
“It is also important to point out on Thursday 4 February, when the
that Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Commissioner will formally present
Constabulary (HMIC) recently (20 his proposal.
October 2015) praised Wiltshire You can have your say on the
Police for its commitment to proposal by going to: www.
continuously improving services and wiltshire-pcc.gov.uk where you can
for its robust financial management. also find more information.
“The Force was given a ‘good’ Paul Deal
rating by the inspectors for Communications Officer
efficiency who reported that it was Office of the Police and Crime
in a good financial position. Commissioner
Who you gonna call?

Wiltshire Police have launched a time. The campaign highlights that
campaign to make sure people call 999 is for emergency only and 101
the right police number at the right is for non-emergency police calls.
swindonlink.com n February 2016 47