Warwickshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Philip Seccombe, is inviting local residents to share their views on the funding they contribute through the Police Precept towards policing and community safety through a newly launched survey.
What is the Police Precept?
The police precept is the part of your Council Tax which helps to pay for policing in Warwickshire. In Warwickshire it accounts for just under half of the total budget for policing. It helps to provide funding for police officers, their equipment and vital services to help victims of crime, as well as other services which aim to prevent and deter crime.
The Police Precept is set by the Police and Crime Commissioner each year, within guidelines laid down by the Government, which provides the remainder of funding for policing.
In the current financial year, the Police Precept charge is as follows:
| Council Tax Band | % of Warwickshire properties currently falling in this band | 2024/25 Total amount per year |
|---|---|---|
| Band A | 16.7% | £193.14 |
| Band B | 19.8% | £225.33 |
| Band C | 25.2% | £257.52 |
| Band D | 15.7% | £289.71 |
| Band E | 10.6% | £354.09 |
| Band F | 6.5% | £418.47 |
| Band G | 4.8% | £482.85 |
| Band H | 0.6% | £579.42 |
Alongside the Police Precept, Central Government funding accounts for the remaining 53% of the budget. In mid-December, the Government announced the that Warwickshire would receive a potential overall funding increase of 5.9% (£8.3 million), of which just under £5 million comes directly from Government grants. The remaining £3.2 million is dependent on an maximum increase of in the Police Precept—the portion of the police budget funded through Council Tax.
Despite the increase, rising costs in areas such as inflation, officer pay, overtime, and national insurance, alongside other unavoidable pressures, mean that the cost of delivering policing in Warwickshire is expected to rise significantly. Current estimates suggest that in excess of £10 million extra will be required in 2025/26 compared to the current year.
To meet this funding gap, a combination of Police Precept increases and efficiency savings will be necessary to maintain current service levels and safeguard against future financial uncertainties. For Warwickshire to access the full funding increase outlined by the Government, the Police Precept would need to rise by £14 per year (27p per week) for an average Band D household. Properties in lower bands would pay less, while those in higher bands would pay more.
The survey
The survey asks how much extra, if any, you would be willing to pay for local policing next year (2025/26).
Your feedback is important as we work to balance the budget to meet the priorities you help shape in the forthcoming Police and Crime Plan for Warwickshire.
The survey is live from December 20 and can be completed online. Please contact the office at [email protected] if you require the survey in a different format or would like to provide additional comments.
Feedback from the survey will help to inform the development of the budget, which will be presented to the Warwickshire Police and Crime Panel early in February 2025, allowing Council Tax bills to be finalised ahead of the financial year.
