Council tax hike planned to 'protect' police and fire services
A consultation has been launched over plans which could see annual council tax bills rise by more than £11 to pay for police and fire services.
Residents in Staffordshire are being urged to have their say on on precept levels for the two emergency services in 2022-23.
The county's commissioner Ben Adams said a £10-a-year rise (4.19 per cent) for Staffordshire Police would protect existing services and help to fund improvements, while an extra £1.57 per year (1.99 per cent) would help protect fire and rescue services.
Another option would see the police precept rise by nearly three per cent (£7.13). Mr Adams warned that services would be reduced if there was no increase in the precept.
In a message to residents, he said: "Budgeting for the coming year is challenging because of uncertainty related to Covid-19, inflation and the likelihood of pay increases.
"Government is proposing a three-year grant settlement this year, which helps financial planning in these difficult times.
"As part of setting the budget I require the services, and my office, to consider where they can make savings and I will consider all options, such as making better use of technology or sharing buildings.
"I will always try to keep your council tax low and I will only ask for more if I believe it is necessary to maintain or improve the services we receive.
"This coming year, I believe some additional investment is required to protect our services in these uncertain times and a little more will help our new Chief Constable and Chief Fire Officer to implement the local plans sooner and keep us safe.
"I would therefore welcome your thoughts on these options."
Last year the policing precept in Staffordshire rose by nearly six per cent, alongside a two per cent spike for fire services.
The consultation runs until January 11 and can be found at surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6ZHHMRH.
Next year's Government funding settlement is due to be announced on Thursday.
