Residents encouraged to share views on how much taxpayers should contribute towards policing in Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire residents have the opportunity to share their views on how much taxpayers should contribute towards policing in the county.
Police and Crime Commissioner Jonathan Ash-Edwards is asking the public’s view on the issue through an online survey which opens on Monday January 12.
The results will help guide the Commissioner in setting the council tax policing precept, with the Government already indicating that it is expecting Police and Crime Commissioners around the country to increase the police precept by £15 at Band D.
This is an increase of 5.6 per cent, although it would still lead to Hertfordshire continuing to have the fifth lowest precept across England and Wales.
The current police precept in the county is £32 below the national average, and the gap would not change if all Commissioners increased their precept by the amount expected by Government.
Police and Crime Commissioner Edwards said: “My priority is to ensure that Hertfordshire Constabulary has the resources it needs to protect our communities by preventing crime and catching criminals.
“Residents consistently tell me that they want to see police officers on their streets, strong neighbourhood teams and responsive local policing.
“I’m proud that Hertfordshire currently has a record number of police officers, and my number one priority is protecting that position so the police can continue to tackle crime effectively and keep Hertfordshire safe.
"Despite the financial constraints, there is good progress being made in Hertfordshire. Our Police and Crime Plan has already shown what strong leadership can achieve in a short time.
“Since the 1st of January the Constabulary has solved 1245 more crimes than in the same period the previous year, the average time to answer 999 calls has been consistently improving and there has been a 14.5 per cent reduction in crime as the result of tens of thousands of hours of visible patrols deployed in crime hotspots and town centres across the county in year one of the initiative."
The online survey runs until midnight on January 25.