The Government has announced that funding for policing across the country will be ‘protected’ in cash terms, and that it will allow flexibility for PCCs to locally raise the policing part of council tax.
In September, Police and Crime Commissioner Sue Mountstevens and Chief Constable Andy Marsh issued ‘The Tipping Point’ report which highlighted the threats, risks and consequences facing Avon and Somerset with diminished resources.
Demands on Avon and Somerset Police have increased, including the threat from extremism and organised crime and the number of complicated and sensitive crimes such as sexual exploitation, violence against people, domestic abuse, rape and hate crime had risen from 20,000 to 40,000 in the past seven years.
Police and Crime Commissioner Sue Mountstevens said: “I am pleased the Government have listened to my concerns for policing in Avon and Somerset.
“Today’s announcement is better than we expected, however we still have some difficult decisions ahead.
“On sharing ‘The Tipping Point’ report with Policing and Fire Minister Nick Hurd MP, earlier this year, he acknowledged the Constabulary as a progressive force, working hard to maximise the opportunities of digitalisation and advanced analytics.
“Despite today’s announcement, we still need to find £11 million next year and we will continue to look at all our back office functions, as well as other opportunities for collaboration, in order to achieve this.
“My proposal will be to take an increase of council tax to the Police and Crime Panel and I will be listening to the views of local people as part of this process.
“With this investment, I will continue to ring-fence local neighbourhood policing for 2018/19, as I have since 2016.
“My over-riding priority as the areas elected Police and Crime Commissioner is the safety of everyone who lives and works in Avon and Somerset and I will fight to do all I can to protect neighbourhood policing to 2020.”
