Have your say on the Police Budget

John Dwyer

Police and Crime Commissioner John Dwyer is asking people across Cheshire for their views on community safety and how much residents should contribute to the police budget through their local tax.

You can complete the survey here.

Last year, residents in Cheshire supported a small rise in the police precept (the part of Council Tax that pays for policing). This enabled Cheshire Police to maintain and improve performance in 2023 in key areas such as:

• 999 calls answered 2 seconds faster and 101 calls answered 58 seconds faster.
• Emergencies attended 34 seconds faster and non-emergencies attended 8 minutes 56 seconds faster.
• Highest number of officers ever, with more officers on the beat as part of the community policing model.
• Over 2,000 more arrests, with more offenders charged and 'action taken'.

Government funding for Cheshire Constabulary is set to increase, but not by the nearly £16 million added to the cost of policing. Savings of over £6 million have been identified, but to find extra funding for policing Commissioners can increase the police precept by £13 per year -- £1.08 per month -- for a Band D Council Tax property, without the need to hold a referendum. Nearly two thirds of Cheshire properties fall into Bands A-C, meaning most households would pay less.

Answers to frequently asked questions about the police budget and survey are available here.

The survey will close at midday on Tuesday 23 January.