POLICE and Crime Commissioner John Dwyer has thanked residents for a record survey response to views on policing and crime.
For the past four weeks, Mr. Dwyer has embarked on the largest consultation ever undertaken by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, seeking the views of residents across the county on policing and crime.
The survey closed on Sunday 5 December, and over 18,000 pieces of feedback have been returned, helping to shape and inform the way the county is policed.
Mr. Dwyer said: “I want to thank everyone who has taken the time to share their views with me. It is greatly appreciated and will help me to fulfil my role and ensure your views are fed back to the Chief Constable.
“My office has already begun analysing the results, with clear trends being identified in the preliminary stages. This was the largest ever consultation carried out by this office and full analysis will take some time, but residents can be assured that I will share the full results as soon as they are available., as well as the ways we’re working to help keep Cheshire residents safe.”
Part of the Commissioner’s role is to set the policing precept – the part of council tax that goes towards Cheshire Constabulary. In his survey, the Commissioner wanted to find out what the public’s appetite was for next year’s budget.
Mr Dwyer added: “The Chief Constable and I are working hard to ensure Cheshire has the highest number of police officers it has had in modern times. To pay for the resources, we have to look at funding options in addition to the government uplift.
“I want to thank everyone for giving their honest feedback with regards to what a rise in the policing precept would mean for them and their community. We all have different priorities and costs of living, so it was vital to hear from as many people as possible.
The Commissioner has a legal duty to consult with the public on his final proposal for the police precept. Through feedback from the survey and discussions with the Chief Constable, the Commissioner will develop this proposal and will be asking for your views on this issue again in the new year.
Mr Dwyer said: “I will always welcome feedback from the public and I know people want to see more officers, better response times and safer roads, to name just a few of the clear trends fed back to me in the survey.
“I’d encourage those who didn’t share their views this time to speak out in the new year when I will be carrying out my formal budget consultation.
“If you’d like to share your email address with me I can keep you updated with the process as we enter the new year.”
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