Cambridgeshire police board agrees to recommend 0.99% increase in police council tax

THE decision by Cambridgeshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner to recommend a 0.99% increase to the policing element of council tax for 2016/17 has been agreed by the Constabulary’s Business Coordination Board.

This approach follows the government’s provisional settlement announcement last month that Police and Crime Commissioner resources will be protected taking into account both grant funding and potential council tax rises.

Police and Crime Commissioner, Sir Graham Bright said:

“Some people have asked why we need to have any increase at all given that police funding has been largely protected. However there are still significant savings still to be found and, as with any business, we face annual inflationary pressures particularly from salaries and, in 2016/17, changes to national insurance contributions.

“Despite these pressures, we have managed to restrict the rise to 0.99% enabling me to meet my promise not to add unnecessary burden to taxpayers. This increase will enable us to maintain frontline policing.”

The proposed increase of 0.99% in the policing element of the 2016/17 council tax equates to an extra 3.5 pence per week on a band D property.

The decision will now be put to the Police and Crime Panel for consideration at their next meeting on 3 February.