Brighton and Hove Labour say Sussex’s Tory Police Commissioner’s plans to put up Council Tax shows “the failure of her Government’s policy of slashing funding for key local services while at the same time demanding a freeze in Council Tax year after year”.
The Government is forcing cuts of £26 million on Sussex Police, meaning it cannot invest in services. Katy Bourne, Sussex’s Police and Crime Commissioner, has suggested one of the options she is considering to tackle the shortfall is increasing the Council Tax precept by up to 3.6%, despite her election manifesto commitment to a Council Tax freeze just 18 months ago. An increase of 3.6% is the highest amount she can bring forward without requiring a local referendum and would add £5 a year to Band D taxpayers.
Councillor Warren Morgan, one of the two Labour councillors who sit on the Sussex Police and Crime Panel, said:
“This shows that the Conservative policy of imposing massive cuts on police, councils and local services whilst promising council tax freezes is unsustainable and unrealistic. Anything below an inflation linked rise is a cut in funding. Slashing millions from public service grants can’t be covered by savings. The Tories, locally at least, are waking up to that, but residents hit by falling wages and rising bills will pay the price.”
Katy Bourne, the Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner, responded saying:
“I have a statutory obligation to set the police budget. I fulfilled my election pledge not to raise the precept in my first year of office and, as a result, residents have paid the same amount for policing in Sussex for the last four years making Sussex the lowest of all Shire forces and the fourth lowest in England and Wales. However, in order to enable investment and ensure Sussex Police is sufficiently resourced to meet future challenges, I am consulting on a number of precept options for 2014-15 including another tax freeze or a 2% increase which would add £2.70 a year to Band D taxpayers.
“I am pleased to report that, despite the enormous challenge set, Sussex Police are on track to achieve the savings required by 2015. However, in order to meet the emerging crime threats, I need to consider whether it is necessary to secure additional funding next year. I am duty bound to inform the Police and Crime Panel of my considerations and I will be consulting the residents and taxpayers of Sussex to help inform my decision in January 2014.”
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