Have your say on funding for frontline policing

17th January 2020

Today West Yorkshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), Mark Burns-Williamson has launched a consultation on the police budget and would really like your views.

Mark Burns-Williamson, said: “As Police and Crime Commissioner for West Yorkshire, I am responsible for setting the annual budget for West Yorkshire Police. This includes agreeing the local 'police precept' - the part of the council tax that helps to fund policing locally which accounts for about 30% of the total West Yorkshire Police budget.

“Here in West Yorkshire the central government grant for policing has been cut by £140m since 2010 (around a 30% cut).  I have been working hard to rebuild the numbers of police working in our communities but with your support I want to do more.

“I want to increase visible frontline policing, putting more police officers in our neighbourhoods to make sure communities are safe and feel safe, which I know is a priority for many people. 

“By making a small increase in the police precept of 4.99 percent, which equates to no more than £7.26 a year for most households in West Yorkshire, I can provide resources for more police officers and help protect the numbers of Police and Community Support Officers (PCSOs) visible in our neighbourhoods. This proposed increase would also support other key areas of investment for West Yorkshire Police, such as specialist investigators using new digital and forensic techniques to improve criminal justice outcomes for victims and witnesses.

“However before I make a decision on the budget I would like to know what you think. Please give me your views by completing the online survey at www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/WYBudget2020”

The deadline for responses to the survey is 5pm on Friday 31st January.