Agenda item

The Panel considered a report of the Police and Crime Commissioner relating to the planned consultation on the level of the policing precept in 2022-23. 

The Chief Executive, OPCC noted further details as regards consultation questions had been circulated and that the consultation would seek views on a precept increase of £10, for a Band D property, and also contained questions relating to the Police and Crime Plan and priorities areas.

He explained that there were a number of facets in relation to the consultation in order to reach people, with social media being key.  He noted resources allocated for social media advertising, in order to reach as many people as possible.  The Chief Executive, OPCC referred to the ‘Keep in the Know’ public contact database, with over 9,000 people signed up, adding they would be encouraged to respond to the precept consultation.  He noted the timescales involved and that it was hoped a final report would be presented to the Panel at its meeting in February.

Councillor R Potts noted that precept data available via the PCC website was out of date and asked as regards the current grant from Government for 2022/23 as he had also been unable to find that information from the website.  He noted the statement from the Chief Executive, OPCC in terms of ‘the Government has determined a maximum increase of £10 per Band D property’, around a four percent increase, and asked whether that was national or just for Durham.  The Chief Executive, OPCC noted it was a maximum precept rise for English and Welsh forces.  Councillor R Potts noted that the consultation questionnaire stated, ‘The government funding settlement assumes that PCCs in England and Wales will increase their tax for policing by £10 per year…’.  He added that he had been unable to find on the Government website or the PCC website any statement from Government in terms of assuming a £10 per year rise.  The Chief Finance Officer, OPCC and Assistant Chief Officer, Durham Constabulary, Gary Ridley noted it had been within documents circulated to police forces, adding when the provisional grant settlement had come out in December 2021, the narrative included an assumption of a £10 increase per year for the next three years giving an extra £774 million collectively across English and Welsh police forces.  The PCC explained as regards the website, noting staffing issues and work concentrating on the precept, with the Chief Executive, OPCC adding the comments relating to the website were noted and the issues would be looked at.     

Councillor J Miller noted the headline figure of a proposed four percent increase in precept and explained that people would ask ‘what am I getting for that increase’.  The Chief Finance Officer, OPCC noted that the intention in the current financial year would be: to invest in additional 999 / 101 call handlers; introduce Operation Snap, the ability for the public to submit dashcam footage of incidents; to enable a standstill position in terms of the increased costs relating to gas, electricity, insurance, ICT costs that were not reflected in the Government grant; and in relation to the increase in Employers National Insurance contributions from 1 April 2022.  The PCC noted that it was key, within the consultation, to give the public a list of priorities so that they could identify what areas were important to them to help identify priorities and spend, noting just under 200 priorities within the Police and Crime Plan, to be delivered within a challenging timescale. 

She added that Durham Constabulary was recruiting for new Police Officers from today and that more detail on the precept would come forward following the consultation with the public.

Resolved:

(i)   That the report be noted.

(ii)  That the Panel received a further detailed report on the consultation.