West Midlands taxpayers will 'pay more for less policing' under new plans

The West Midlands Police and Crime Panel endorsed Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster’s budget plans for 2025/26 to 2029/30 at a meeting this week.

As part of this, there will be an increase in the police precept part of residents’ council tax bills with the level for Band D properties going up to £229.50 – an annual increase of £13.95 or 27p per week.

Mr Foster said the total Government grant settlement for the West Midlands in 2025/26 will be £671.5 million – an increase of £42.3 million from last year.

But he said this would not replace the number of officers lost since 2010 and would need to address increases in pay.

He added the Government had effectively “mandated” West Midlands Police to increase the precept to ensure it can continue to cover day to day operational costs.

Mr Foster said: “This grant will enable West Midlands police to maintain officer numbers during 25/26 as part of the previous so called national police uplift programme target of 1,200 officers successfully delivered by March 2023 and contribute to the 24/25 police officer pay award and increase national insurance contributions

“Of course, this is welcome but it will not replace the 2,221 police officers we lost between 2010 and 2019 and pending clarification of proposed delivery profile arising from the additional £12.2 million neighbourhood policing grant, West Midlands police will still have 800 fewer police officers and 500 fewer PSCOs than it had in 2010.

“In addition, PCCs are expected to pay for the police staff 2024 pay award together with the 2025 officer and staff pay awards from the funding settlement.

“At £13.95, a Band D taxpayer will pay an extra £27p per week or £1.16 per month. This will bring in an additional income of £10.62 million and the total amount raised by the police precept will then amount £174.8 million.

“Even if the precept is raised, the savings required to support the revenue budget in 25/26 will be £24.5 million together with a one off contribution from reserves of £16.9 million.”

He added: “It is important to understand, the Governments funding settlement assumes every force will increase its precept in accordance with the maximum flexibility it has provided for.

“The effect of this is the Government is to all intents and purposes mandating an increased precept.

“This also illustrates the settlement does not maintain the baseline funding West Midlands Police needs to operate on a day to day basis to deliver an effective and efficient police service.

“Central Government is continuing its strategy of requiring the people of the West Midlands to pay more council tax for less local policing.

“I would much rather the Government had fully funded this increase rather than effectively mandating it and passing the burden onto local taxpayers.

“With rising costs of inflation West Midlands Police’s budget remains under severe pressure.”