Part of being your Police and Crime Commissioner for Bedfordshire means that I am responsible for securing the annual budget for Bedfordshire Police. In 2021/22, the budget was made up of 61% from Government grant money and 39% from the police precept part of your council tax.
I also determine the local policing priorities for the Chief Constable based on listening to what local residents tell me. These priorities are set out in my Police and Crime Plan and I hold the Chief to account, on your behalf, for their successful delivery. Click here to read my Police and Crime Plan.
The priorities in the Police and Crime Plan reflect what local people tell me are important, which is why I want to hear from you about changes to the budget.
You will probably know that we are facing rising costs across the public sector because of inflation. This means that next year an increase in the precept will be needed just for Bedfordshire Police to maintain its current position and meet the costs of pay and price increases.
So we have to decide if we stand still, move forward or make cuts to policing in our county. With higher costs for some everyday items and the impact of the pandemic affecting everyone, I know that any increase next year for some people will be hard. But I also know, because you have told me, that you want to see more officers in our communities and our rural areas, taking more criminals off the streets and protecting our towns and villages. To do this, as well as maintaining other services, we will need to increase the precept.
The Government has said that PCCs can raise the precept by up to £10 a year for an average (band D) home. That’s a rise of just under 3pence per day. We remain one of the lowest funded forces in the country. Click here to see where we are compared to the average council tax for police forces (Band D).
I want to hear from you so that I can make an informed decision.
Please follow the link below to take the survey and share your views:
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/3TD8NNQ
Thank you,
Police and Crime Commissioner, Festus Akinbusoye