Staffordshire Commissioner for Police, Fire & Rescue and Crime Ben Adams is asking people to have their say on how much they would be prepared to pay for Policing and Fire & Rescue services in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.
The Staffordshire Commissioner is responsible for setting the services’ budgets, and determining the contribution residents make as part of their annual council tax precept. He also sets out a strategic direction in Local Plans for Staffordshire Police and Staffordshire Fire & Rescue, and appoints their Chief Constable and Chief Fire Officer, who make the operational decisions and run the organisations.
Ben Adams said: “As Commissioner, I am elected to oversee the work of our local Police and Fire & Rescue services, and commission services to support victims and prevent crime and anti-social behaviour.
“Since 2021 I have always tried to keep your council tax precept low, and I will only ask for more if I believe it is necessary to maintain or improve the services.
“I want to continue to invest in people and technology to further improve our services, to protect our communities and keep bringing crime and ASB down, but government grants, this coming year, will not fully cover increases in pay, national insurance and inflation.
“Even with the maximum precept increases of £14 for Police and £5 for Fire & Rescue per year for a Band D property, maintaining the staff and service levels required to address national, regional and community priorities will be extremely challenging.
“So, I would welcome your thoughts to help inform my decisions. How much would you be willing to contribute to protect our local services? Every penny will help our officers, fire-fighters and staff to keep Staffordshire safe.”
Here is a snapshot of what your council tax is already helping to deliver…
- HMICFRS discharged our Police service from ‘special measures’, and their full inspection highlighted improvements across the board, establishing a foundation to build an outstanding force again.
- In March 2024, there were 2,020 Police officers in Staffordshire – 428 more than in 2020 but still 161 fewer than in 2010.
- In the past 12 months these officers have made 14% more arrests and 19% more stop & searches helping to bring crime down by 8% and ASB by 6%.
- Investment in pro-active policing is helping to tackle the organised gangs targeting properties, businesses and farms to steal vehicles and plant – addressing the community priorities of rural, retail and vehicle crime set out in the Commissioner’s Local Plan.
- Staffordshire Fire & Rescue’s latest HMICFRS report confirmed the service as one of the top achieving in England & Wales, including an ‘Outstanding’ grading for responding to major incidents.
- Our Fire & Rescue emergency response is rapid and effective, with teams attending 8,203 incidents (April 2023-March 2024), 80.9% within the target time.
- Prevention and protection teams are increasingly successful at identifying those most at risk and using their powers to ensure buildings are safe, completing 280 fire safety audits between April 2023 and March 2024.
- Our Fire & Rescue service continue to prove the value of close working with NHS partners, responding to almost 940 incidents (April 2023-March 2024) of vulnerable people falling in their homes. A scheme helping discharged patients return home from hospital supported 1,381 people between its launch last December and the end of September 2024.
The precept consultation runs from 10 December 2024 until 12 January 2025.
