Residents urged to have their say in last days of consultation on changes to North Yorkshire policing precept
Residents are being urged to have their say on their contribution to police funding as part of a consultation being run by Police and Crime Commissioner, Julia Mulligan.
An online survey is currently live at www.telljulia.com until 11 January. People have only days left to take part in the consultation whose findings will play a key part in determining how much householders across the county pay towards their police service.
The amount of funding the police receive from the precept affects the services which the police are able to provide.
So far seven out of ten people have voted for an increase to the policing precept of 1.99%, an average increase of 8p per week in council tax.
North Yorkshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Julia Mulligan, is responsible for setting the local police ‘precept’ – the amount people pay through their council tax for policing.
Some 55 per cent of North Yorkshire Police’s funding comes from the Government. But the remaining 45 per cent is raised locally and is paid for by residents through their council tax. It is this local funding – called the ‘police precept’ – that Julia wants residents’ views on.
Julia Mulligan said:
“North Yorkshire is the safest place in England and our police do a good job. But like everywhere, we have our challenges.
“When I asked the public to help set priorities for the police, they said that providing an exceptional local service whilst tackling emerging crimes, like online fraud and harassment, was on top of their list.
“As your Police and Crime Commissioner, it’s my job to ensure the Chief Constable delivers this for you. I also set the precept for local policing. This is the amount you pay in your council tax towards running North Yorkshire Police.
“However, before the precept is set for this coming year, I need to know what you think.
“Please go to telljulia.com and tell me what you think.”
The deadline for comments is 11 January.
The options people can choose from are:
- Freeze the precept. Meaning no more to pay locally, but harder for the police to deliver services and balance the books.
- Increase the precept by 1.99 per cent in order to raise just over £1.2 million for next year and subsequent years, but avoid a costly local referendum. This would mean the average household paying 8p a week more.
- Put the precept up by more than 1.99 per cent which could raise more money, but will mean at least £700,000 spent on a referendum on the proposals.
- Click here to complete the survey online
- Call: 01423 569 562
- Email: pcc@northyorkshire-pcc.gov.ukor
- Write to: FREEPOST RTCL-AGAE-TRTS, Office of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for North Yorkshire and York, Harrogate Police Station, Beckwith Head Rd, Harrogate, HG3 1FR.