2024/2025 Precept consultation
Survey closed midnight Sunday 21 January 2024
North Yorkshire’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, Zoë Metcalfe, is asking how much you think should be invested in local policing and fire and rescue services from your council tax bills from April next year.
One of Zoë’s roles, required by law, is to set the police and fire precepts – the amounts dedicated to policing and fire and rescue services in North Yorkshire and York from every household.
As part of her commitment to ensure everyone has the chance to have their say before the amounts are decided, she wants to know your views as part of a consultation. She will then make her proposals to the Police, Fire and Crime Panel in February.
The survey opens today, Monday 4 December, and runs until midnight Monday 21 January at www.tellCommissionerZoe.co.uk.
Commissioner Zoë said:
“One of my roles is to set the precepts for North Yorkshire Police and North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, something every Commissioner has to do each year.
“It is never easy to ask residents for more money, and I know that many individuals and families are facing financial pressures once again this coming year, but our emergency services are also dealing with rising costs as they continue their vital work to keep us all safe.
“And again, this year the decision will be challenging, as I have to balance the burden on taxpayers and the growing demands for services from our police and fire and rescue services, so it’s vital that I hear your views.
“Please go online, take just a few minutes to have your say and I will ensure your views are reflected when decisions are made.”
Police precept
How is North Yorkshire Police funded?
North Yorkshire Police has a budget of £201 million – around 46 per cent comes from the precept on your council tax.
To provide a similar level of service to now, they think they will need around an extra £12m due to salary increases and the rising cost of fuel, utilities and general cost increases.
I expect the Government to say I can raise the police precept by £15 from April – that would be an increase of 5.1%, an extra 29 pence per week for an average Band D property. Even this would only raise £4.7m of that extra demand.
The options in this survey are based on an average Band D property currently paying £295.09 each year for policing.
An increase of 5.1% would mean:
| Property Band | 2023/24 | 2024/25 | Increase per Annum | Increase per Week |
| A | £196.72 | £206.72 | £10.00 | £ 0.19 |
| B | £229.51 | £241.18 | £11.67 | £ 0.22 |
| C | £262.30 | £275.63 | £13.33 | £ 0.26 |
| D | £295.09 | £310.09 | £15.00 | £ 0.29 |
| E | £360.66 | £378.99 | £18.33 | £ 0.35 |
| F | £426.24 | £447.91 | £21.67 | £ 0.42 |
| G | £491.81 | £516.81 | £25.00 | £ 0.48 |
| H | £590.18 | £620.18 | £30.00 | £ 0.58 |
The following options are based on a band D property
A Band D Property pays £281.06 per year for policing
Q How much more would you be prepared to pay per year through your council tax for policing?
- No more than I pay now – a precept freeze
This would be a cut to the police budget due to inflation and current levels of service delivery could not maintained. - Up to £10 a year more (83 pence per month), an increase of 3.4%
This would raise around £3.1 million, however is significantly below inflation and would likely lead to reductions in current levels of service delivery unless savings could be delivered. - Up to £15 a year more (£1.25 per month), an increase of 5.1%
This would raise around £4.7 million, is broadly in line with the organisation’s inflationary pressures and would lead to no reductions in current levels of service delivery. - Up to £20 a year more (£1.67 per month), an increase of 6.8%
This would raise around £6.2 million, is likely to be higher than the organisation’s inflationary pressures and would allow some additional investment into policing.
Fire precept
How is North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service funded?
North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service has a budget of £40 million – the majority of that, over 60 per cent, comes from the precept on your council tax.
To provide a similar level of service to now, they think they will need around an extra £2.5m – £3m due to salary increases and the rising cost of fuel, utilities and interest on loans.
I expect the Government to say I can raise the fire precept by £5 from April – that would be an increase of 6.2%, an extra 10 pence per week for an average Band D property. Even this would only raise £1.6m of that extra demand
The options in this survey are based on an average Band D property currently paying £80.61 each year for fire and rescue services.
An increase of 6.2% would mean:
| Property Band | 2023/24 | 2024/25 | Increase per Annum | Increase per Week |
| A | £53.74 | £57.07 | £3.33 | £0.06 |
| B | £62.69 | £66.58 | £3.89 | £0.07 |
| C | £71.65 | £76.09 | £4.44 | £0.09 |
| D | £80.61 | £85.61 | £5.00 | £0.10 |
| E | £98.52 | £104.63 | £6.11 | £0.12 |
| F | £116.43 | £123.65 | £7.22 | £0.14 |
| G | £134.35 | £142.68 | £8.33 | £0.16 |
| H | £161.22 | £171.22 | £10.00 | £0.19 |
The following options are based on a band D property
A Band D Property pays £80.61 per year for the fire and rescue service
Q How much more would you be prepared to pay per year through your council tax for the fire and rescue service?
- No more than I pay now – a precept freeze
This would be a significant cut to the Fire budget due to inflation and current levels of service delivery could not be maintained. - Up to £2.41 a year more (20 pence per month), an increase of 2.99%
This would raise around £750k, however is significantly below inflation and would likely lead to reductions in current levels of service delivery. - Up to £5 a year more (42 pence per month), an increase of 6.2%
This would raise around £1.6m, is broadly in line with the organisation’s inflationary pressures and would lead to no reductions in planned levels of service delivery. - Up to £7.50 a year more (62 pence per month), an increase of 9.3%
This would raise around £2.4m, is likely to be higher than the organisation’s inflationary pressures and would allow some additional investment into fire and rescue service delivery.
Precept leaflet
Precept poster
