POLICE and Crime Commissioner John Dwyer has approved the police budget for the coming year – maintaining investment in key areas to protect the public and reinforce recent improvements.
The budget will mean the average householder in Warrington and across the county will pay and extra £1.25-a-month. But nearly two-thirds of residents will pay smaller increases.
Cheshire Constabulary now has its highest-ever number of officers. Call waiting times and incident response times for both emergencies and non-emergencies have fallen significantly. In addition, more criminals are being arrested and Cheshire has the highest charge rate for crime in the country.
The budget set by the Commissioner is designed to ensure this level of service is maintained and that public confidence in policing improves.
Between January 3 and 24 -the Commissioner carried out a survey on people’s policing priorities for the next year. Over 4,000 residents – the largest ever response – gave their views on issues in their community and their top priorities for policing, including tackling anti-social behaviour (ASB), focusing on road safety and maintaining record high Police Officer numbers.
Mr Dwyer said: “I want to thank residents for their feedback on the issues that matter most to them. In my role to hold the Chief Constable to account for how our police service protects the public, it’s vital that I continually seek people’s views on what they expect their service to deliver.
“The key issues highlighted by residents in the survey mirror those set out in my Police and Crime Plan, where I outline how we will tackle ASB, make Cheshire’s roads safer and maintain our Police Officer numbers at their highest ever level. This budget will help us to achieve all of these goals.”
The survey also asked residents for their views on police funding, with 76 per cent of respondents to a question about the police precept – the part of Council Tax that funds Cheshire Constabulary – supporting some form of increased contribution.
Mr Dwyer added: “These are challenging times for everyone and it’s no different for the police, but there is a clear focus on maintaining this improved level of service and the feedback I received on the precept shows that the public recognise that commitment.
“Setting the precept is not a decision I take lightly, especially in the current economic climate. That’s why it was important for me to get as much feedback as possible and once again I am grateful to everyone who took the time to share their views.”
Chief Constable Mark Roberts said: “Approving the policing budget for the coming year is key in ensuring we have the right resources keep the communities of Cheshire safe.
“I would like to thank all those who took the time to complete the survey and let us know their views on both the precept and the policing priorities for their respective areas. We appreciate the hardships that households are now facing, so it was pleasing to see this level of support.
“I will continue to work closely with the Police and Crime Commissioner to ensure we deliver the priorities set out in the Police and Crime Plan, prevent and tackle crime and provide the best possible service for victims.”
On Friday, February 3, the Commissioner will present his precept proposal to the county’s Police and Crime Panel for its review and consideration. The Panel will then decide whether to support or veto the proposed precept. In the event that the Panel vetoes the proposed precept, the Commissioner will submit a revised proposal.
Answers to frequently asked questions about the budget are available at www.cheshire-pcc.gov.uk/what-the-commissioner-does/setting-the-police-budget/budget-2023-24
The results of the Commissioner’s survey can be found at: www.cheshire-pcc.gov.uk/get-involved/have-your-say/outcomes-and-results
