Staffordshire policing could be impacted by low funding as commissioner issues council tax warning

Only half of the national insurance increase for the fire service is covered by the government and despite more being covered for the police service, national insurance for overtime work is not being covered. Commissioner Ben Adams also remarked that many of the organisations commissioned to do victim support or help with children at risk will also be affected by the changes.

The commissioner, Ben Adams, said: “In the last four to five years the budgets have been positive, the police officer numbers alone are up over 400 to over 2000 in just four years. So there are more officers, more people out in the community patrolling etc.

“Disappointingly I’m afraid this budget round is going to be different; we’ve had a settlement from government that’s extremely disappointing. It doesn’t meet the national insurance increases, it doesn’t cover pay increases. It is some way off I can tell you on fire and rescue in particular, where money has been redirected towards top tier authorities, which is not helping the fire and rescue service.

“There is an assumption with a national endorsement that commissioners and others like myself set very high council tax precept. I regret to say your council tax is becoming a national tax. It is becoming the basis on which public services are funded and that’s not what it’s about.

“It should be about local investment to improve and enhance the service: nationally negotiated pay increases, national insurance increases should be covered by the government I think and anything that pretends otherwise is to miss the point.

“I regret to say that for the first time in my tenure as commissioner the budgets are under pressure and it will be very difficult for them not to affect service levels I’m afraid.”

The final budget proposals will be presented to the Staffordshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel in the coming weeks.