Hampshire Constabulary wants maximum council tax rise to fund 50 extra police officers

FIFTY more police officers could be on the streets of Hampshire as the police and crime commissioner (PCC) seeks to levy a bigger council tax increase than usual.

Councillors on the police and crime panel meeting will decide whether to support PCC Donna Jones’ 6.3% band D hike in her bid to employ more officers, writes Toby Paine of the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

This year the government is allowing forces to increase by £15 a year on a band D home – up from the £10 limit last year.

The police portion of the overall New Forest council tax is in addition to demands from county, district and parish councils, and the fire service.

The current year’s rate for the police is £236.46 for a band D home; next year’s would be £251.46.

The extra cash is hoped to fund the delivery of new police officers and to help tackle the pressures of rising costs.

The proposal has been developed to support the PCC’s police and crime plan which sets out nine key priorities including having 600 more police officers in Hampshire by the end of 2023 – growth of a quarter.

If 50 extra were employed, the constabulary would exceed the 600 target.

In a statement, outgoing Chief Constable Olivia Pinkney outlined her support for the 6.3% increase, saying: “In terms of priorities, officer numbers and visibility are two categories that the public say are most important to them.

“This chimes with the mandate of more officers and safer streets upon which Commissioner Donna Jones was elected.

“Against this context, and given the challenges faced by policing, I have no hesitation in making the operational case for a maximum £15 increase in precept for band D.

“This is the only credible way to deliver more police officers than those already committed.

“Despite national government efforts, police funding is not keeping up. Factoring in the national funding provision, and even with a £15 increase of council tax as per this recommendation, inflationary pressures will account for nearly all of the total increase in police funding for Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary.”

The police and crime panel will decide the proposal tomorrow (Friday)