Council tax: Police budget funding precept for next 12 months will cost West Yorkshire households over six per cent

The Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin has announced a 6.78% increase in council tax to support the work of police in the county.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

The decision was ratified by the West Yorkshire Police and Crime Panel who heard details of the proposal, including the positive response to the Mayor’s police precept survey of local people.

The agreed 6.78% increase to the police element of the council tax (the police precept) means that most people will pay between 19p and 26p extra per week.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Despite the increase, the cost of the police precept in West Yorkshire continues to be the fourth lowest in England and Wales.

The Government has cut the core funding provided to West Yorkshire Police by 17% since 2010.The Government has cut the core funding provided to West Yorkshire Police by 17% since 2010.
The Government has cut the core funding provided to West Yorkshire Police by 17% since 2010.

The decision was taken reluctantly by the Mayor who continues to lobby the Government to provide greater support for public services and to help people across the region with the cost of living.

Chair of the Police and Crime Panel, Coun Al Garthwaite, said: “Having read the Mayor’s report and listened carefully to her responses to our questions, as a Panel, we unanimously support the Mayor’s proposal for increased funding for the police, through the precept element of the council tax.

"We have not taken this decision lightly. As Councillors, we are acutely aware of the increased financial pressures on residents at the moment. However, we also know that keeping our neighbourhoods safe is incredibly important to our communities, and we want West Yorkshire Police to continue to build on their work in this area."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The government has cut the core funding provided to West Yorkshire Police by 17% since 2010.

Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West YorkshireTracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire

Ms Brabin added: “Funding for policing in our region has been cut by a fifth in a decade, therefore it is fantastic to see the public agree that this needs to be more of a priority than the Government has made it.

“The funding gained through the precept will help to maintain the just, safe, and inclusive police service that the region needs.

“Without this support from the police precept, West Yorkshire Police would have faced even more severe pressures, forcing them to cut costs across its policing operations.”