Cheshire Police Precept-Have Your Say

Hi folks, hope all is well with you. Just a quickie today. I’ve had a follow up message sent to me after yesterday’s Cheshire Police post. In yesterday’s post I mentioned the Cheshire Chief Constable’s visit to Chester. In it I briefly mentioned that David Keane (Cheshire Police Crime Commissioner) will be at Tesco’s in Frodsham Street on Thursday (9th January). That is still the case but I now have more information about his visit. You can have the opportunity to have your say on the Cheshire Police Precept.

Here’s the article I’ve had sent to me in full……

Cheshire Police Precept – Have Your Say

“Cheshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner is asking residents and businesses for their views on how much council tax they pay towards local policing.

PCC David Keane has today (Tuesday 7 January) launched an online consultation to ask local people if they would be willing to support up to a maximum of £2 per month increase in the Cheshire Police precept for the average band D household.

Online Survey

You can complete the online survey here: https://www.snapsurveys.com/wh/s.asp?k=157615947855

There will also be a number of roadshows held across Cheshire where residents can talk to the commissioner directly about their views on the Cheshire Police precept and complete the survey face-to-face.

He said: “Over the last decade police funding has been subject to stringent funding cuts from central Government. This has seen the policing budget in Cheshire decrease in real-terms year-on-year since 2010.

In a decade where demand on policing has increased by one third, and become increasingly complex, the government’s programme of austerity has meant that Cheshire has suffered a big decrease in police officers, support staff posts and other essential resources as we’ve struggled with more than £60 million of real term cuts.

“Whilst imposing cuts nationally, central government has dictated the shift of the funding burden onto local residents. This required commissioners to consult on raising the policing element of council tax.

Whilst I believe that policing should be funded from government as the first responsibility of the state is keeping its people safe, I promised to protect our public and our public services and to carefully listen to the views of local residents.

“Historically, this annual consultation is set around the government’s Provisional Police Funding Settlement which local police services usually receive in December.

Due to the late general election in 2019, police services are yet to receive their Provisional Funding Settlement for 2020/21. So we have to work on an assumption of the continuance of a flat-cash settlement from Government with no additional funding to support additional demand or to cover pay and price inflation.

The chief constable has advised me to consult with Cheshire residents on a Cheshire Police precept that enables him to deliver a police service which keeps our communities safe.

Cheshire Police Precept – Some Figures

“At £200.44, the police element of band D council tax in Cheshire is currently the ninth lowest in the country. And thanks to the support of local residents in last year’s policing precept, we have delivered on our promise of locally recruiting 43 officers in the last nine months.

“We are also expecting to see some of the police officer posts, of the circa 21,000 that have been lost over the last decade, start to be replaced by the government funded national uplift programme.

Cheshire are expecting to see 30 of these officers this year which will start to help us reverse the effects of austerity on policing. But while these officers may be funded, there appears no protection for the current budget and for current officer numbers in Cheshire to be maintained.

“Therefore, the chief constable and I are asking residents and businesses in Cheshire if they are willing to support up to an extra £2 per month increase for the average band D household.

This will enable the chief constable to invest in a number of areas which are operational threats for Cheshire Police. Including county lines, major crime and modern slavery and human trafficking.”

The public consultation events will be taking place at the following locations on the following dates:

Cheshire Police Precept – Have Your Say – Locations

Chester – Tesco, Frodsham Square, Thursday 9 January, 1pm-3pm

Runcorn – Runcorn Shopping City, Friday 10 January, 10am-12noon

Widnes – Morrisons, Green Oaks Way, Friday 10 January, 1pm-3pm

Warrington – Cockhedge Shopping Centre, Thursday 16 January, 1pm-3pm

Macclesfield – Sainsbury’s, Cumberland Street, Friday 17 January, 10am-12noon

Middlewich – Morrisons, Newton Bank, Friday 17 January, 2pm-4pm

Crewe – Tesco, Vernon Way, Thursday 23 January, 1pm-3pm

Ellesmere Port – The Market, Friday 24 January, 10am-12noon

Northwich – Asda, Leicester Street, Friday 24 January, 2pm-4pm

The consultation closes at midnight on Sunday 26 January 2020. Message Sent By Ashley Lawton (Cheshire Police / Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, Administrator, Corporate Communications)”

Chester Crimewatch

Another useful addition to the Chester Crimewatch category. I think you can guess who was good enough to send me through this information. Yes indeed, thanks to John again from Blacon. Much appreciated update.

You can see all other Chester Crimewatch posts HERE.

This opportunity is a good way for the public to ask questions that they may not have the chance to ask before. It can only be good for ongoing relations as well. Good effort by Cheshire Police.

Places To Visit In Chester

Those of us who live in Chester though know only too well that there are so many more places to visit other than Tesco’s for a Cheshire Police Alert. As important as this update is let’s remind ourselves of some of the other places of interest. For some ideas, have a look HERE.

Thanks for reading folks.

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