Taxes to fund police in Shropshire may rise due to cuts

Consultation has begun on West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner Bill Longmore's suggestion of a two per cent increase in the council tax precept from April.

More than £36 million could also be taken from reserves over the next five years.

The force is faced with having to make a further £21.8 million of cuts by 2019, on top of the £20.1 million it has had to find between 2012 and 2016.

Mr Longmore said: "The average Band D property in West Mercia currently pays £178.72 a year toward policing.

"If every household saw their precept increased by two per cent – 7p a week for a Band D property – then we would have an extra £1.7 million a year to spend on policing.

"I also propose to make an invest to save funds from reserves available to the force to help speed the delivery of the required savings, such as bringing forward a number of key technology improvements to achieve earlier efficiencies."

People are able to give their opinions on the plans until January 28.

There will be a live webcast where people will be able to ask questions about the proposals next Tuesday on the West Mercia PCC website from 4pm.

Despite the need to make further savings, Mr Longmore's office said progress on achieving current savings targets "are well on track and reserves have remained healthy".

Money is to be spent on consolidating initiatives introduced last year by Mr Longmore into West Mercia's base budget.

This will include:

• A fund of £2 million for community safety initiatives and victim services, for which community groups can apply

• A Community Ambassador for each police command area to improve liaison with local communities

• Increasing the number of Special Constables

• Accelerating recruitment of police officers in 2014/15 to ensure vacancies in local policing are filled as quickly as possible

West Mercia and Warwickshire Police are also planning to put an additional £1.5 million per year into tackling rural, business and cyber crime.

Despite the investment plans, Ken Mackaill, chairman of the West Mercia Police Federation, said the fresh cuts facing the force meant a full merger with Warwickshire Police needs to be considered in the future.

He said the option was unlikely to come into effect until the end of the current terms of office for Mr Longmore and his Warwickshire PPC counterpart Ron Ball in May 2016. He expressed concern about potential further job cuts, stating police officer and backroom staff numbers are already at "minimum" levels.

Mr Mackaill said that between September 2009 and 2013, West Mercia Police lost 419 officers and 332 police staff.

"We knew there were further big cuts coming and we now see the detail and extent of it," he said. "It is quite severe on top of the budget cuts the force has had to cope with. My concern is how this will effect police officer numbers. The bulk of spending is on salaries but we are down to minimum staff numbers the force can operate with."

Mr Mackaill added he would welcome a merger if it would prevent other areas of policing being hit.

"The two forces are working very closely in this strategic alliance but it isn't a complete merger. There are still savings to be made by merging the two forces. The two PCCs have said that isn't an option during their period of office. But after that, both forces have to seriously look at a merger and generating savings. I would welcome a merger on the basis it would prevent budget cuts in other areas of policing."

As part of the collaboration, more than 300 officers in 100 vehicles took part a joint drugs operation last September.

Operation Sift was organised as part of a thee-year drugs strategy launched by West Mercia and Warwickshire Police. Police raided addresses in Shropshire in a county-wide drugs operation that led to 21 arrests.

The majority of the raids were focused on the Telford area, with properties targeted in Arleston, Brookside, Wellington and Hadley. Raids were also carried out in Shifnal, Shrewsbury and Wolverhampton.

To take part in Mr Longmore's budget consultation, e-mail comments@west mercia.police.uk, write to Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, PO Box 487, Shrewsbury, SY2 6WB or call (01743) 264699.

• West Mercia Police budget hit by extra £22 million cuts