Staffordshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Matthew Ellis, has welcomed the Government’s decision to provide PCCs flexibility to raise or not raise more money locally towards policing.
Policing minister Nick Hurd announced the Government would provide each PCC with the same amount of core Government grant funding in 2018/19 as in 2017/18, but crucially it has given flexibility to each PCC to increase by up to £12 annually the Band D council tax people pay locally.
Matthew Ellis called for this nationally for the first time back in the summer on The Politics Show West Midlands, when he asked Government to consider removing or raising the cap on the amount people pay towards policing in their council tax bills.
‘Commissioners have worked with policing and the Government for seven months to reach this point. The announcement today reflects exactly those talks by recognising the changing and complex work police do and, it also means, local people are clear who is responsible and accountable for asking, or not asking, for more money locally from tax payers, ‘ he said.
‘In Staffordshire, whatever decision I make, the financial challenges are still significant and there will be no let-up in the work we’ve been doing with police and others over the past few years to make it more cost effective and better value for money.
‘The Government have listened and made this well-thought-through decision, which assures greater local accountability via the decision PCCs make whether to invest more, or not, in policing.
‘What is certain here in Staffordshire is I will require careful and clear proposals from the force as to where any additional funds will be spent and what outcomes for communities would be achieved.’
