27/3/2008

Surrey Local News

Police council tax rise set to be capped

"We are frustrated that we have nowhere else to go," said Temporary Chief Constable Mark Rowley

MORE than 200 jobs could go at Surrey Police after the government said it intended to refuse to allow the force to raise its share of council tax by nearly 10%.

High-ranking officers now have 21 days to persuade ministers that an inflation-busting tax hike of 9.7% is necessary.

Should they fail, the police budget will be capped by Whitehall.

Temporary Chief Constable Mark Rowley said capping could mean large cuts to the police service, including reducing the number of frontline officers.

However, Local Government Minister John Healey said councils and police authorities had been warned about increasing tax precepts above 5%.

Announcing the capping plans at the House of Commons on Thursday, Mr Healey said: "I know this is unpopular in local authorities but they know government is prepared to use its reserve power and protect taxpayers from excessive increases.

“We said we expected the average increase to be substantially below 5%.”

In total, seven police authorities and one local council face the prospect of being capped because their proposed percentage increases in council tax share from 2007/08 to 2008/09 are above 5%.

• Lincolnshire Police, 78.9%
• Cheshire Police, 17%
• Leicestershire Police, 15.4%
• Warwickshire Police, 12.9%
• Surrey Police, 9.7%
• Bedfordshire Police, 9.6%
• Norfolk Police, 8.3%
• Portsmouth City Council, 5.04%

This coming year, Surrey Police has planned to spend almost £210m, compared to last year’s budget of £196m, but capping could cut £4m from its plans.

Mr Rowley said any reductions would affect a number of force initiatives, including a new scheme to tackle people who come from outside the county to commit crime within its borders, neighbourhood policing and counter-terrorism projects.

“We are a top force, but rather than giving freedoms to us they are actually looking to cap us," said Mr Rowley.

“It is encouraging mediocrity rather than supporting excellence. We are serious about this. We are frustrated that we have nowhere else to go.”

Should Surrey Police be capped, the force may have to conduct a £600,000 rebilling exercise to change the coming financial year’s council tax bills. Alternatively, reductions could be made for 2009/10.

However, any ministerial decision could be rechallenged and the issue debated in parliament.

First printed in: Surrey Advertiser Online

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