Nottinghamshire's Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) says increasing council tax by around £10 for most households is the "only way" to avoid policing cuts. Members of the Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Panel have approved a tax increase which will see those in Band D properties paying an extra £14.94 a year.
The majority of Nottinghamshire households are a Band A or Band B property, with the former facing an annual rise of £9.96 and the latter a rise of £11.62. Speaking at the meeting on Tuesday (February 7) which approved the tax rise, the county's Conservative PCC Caroline Henry said: "It's not easy to come to you today, when we've got this cost of living crisis, to ask you to approve a precept increase. I know people are really struggling, so it's not a decision I've taken lightly.
"But we must recognise the fact that the police are facing the same financial pressures as everybody else. Our costs are increasing, and I have a duty as your PCC Caroline Henry to make sure that we have an efficient and effective police force in Nottinghamshire.
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"To do that, I have made the hard decision to ask for the maximum precept this year. But before I did that, I've really listened to what the public needed from their police force."
Mrs Henry said that as well as rising costs, the demand for Nottinghamshire Police services is also increasing. The PCC said the number of 999 calls went up by 230,000 last year, while the number of 101 calls went up by 750,000.
Despite the panel voting to approve the tax rise, many members raised concerns about the increase. The Ashfield Independents councillor, Helen-Ann Smith, said: "What level of pressure are we putting onto the minister to sort out the amount of Government grants. We are in a cost of living crisis, everyone is struggling, and it just seems to me that the way the Government are helping at the moment is by saying 'well, it's alright we'll raise the precept increase'.
"What are you doing to really push the Government to make them change their mindset that you can't just keep taxing people. I know everything has gone through the roof, but we can't just keep passing the buck onto the residents."
Mrs Henry responded by saying that she had been "chewing the ear off" the policing minister in a meeting last week about changing the funding formula for Nottinghamshire Police. The commissioner also said she was working cross-party with all of Nottinghamshire's MPs to lobby on this matter.
Those disagreeing with the tax rise include Andy Abrahams, the elected Labour Mayor for Mansfield, with a statement read out on his behalf saying: "Mansfield residents, along with the rest of Nottinghamshire, are suffering from one of the worst cost of living crises for generations. Families can barely survive, so the PCC should cut their cloth to meet their needs like the rest of the population, not impose a whopping 5.9% increase."
But Mrs Henry added: "I don't want to ask for more money, but the only way we can not have cuts for Nottinghamshire Police is to ask for that precept increase. Pound for pound, people in Nottinghamshire are getting value for money with their police but I don't think the funding formula is fair at the moment."
The tax rise will come into effect from the next financial year, which starts this April. It comes as councillors are also discussing a county council tax rise of at least £50 for all Nottinghamshire households, while Nottingham City Council is also planning to increase council tax by the maximum allowed.
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