POLICE AND CRIME PANEL UNANIMOUSLY ENDORSE PROPOSAL FOR MORE INVESTMENT IN POLICING

Published 11 February 2025 at 3:41pm

South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard has received the support of the Police and Crime Panel for his proposal to increase the policing element of the council tax – the police precept.

At a meeting of the Police and Crime Panel earlier last week (Monday 3 February), members unanimously supported the recommendation of a precept increase of £14 or 27 pence per week (based on a Band D property) for the financial year of 2025/26. Most properties in South Yorkshire (57%) are in Band A where the increase will be 18 pence per week or an annual increase of £9.33.

The proposal followed the government’s decision that the police precept could be raised by £14 for a Band D property.

Following a public consultation on the police precept proposals, nearly two-thirds of the 1,157 people (61%) who responded said they were in favour the change.

South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard said:

“It’s vital we increase investment in South Yorkshire Police so they can not only continue the work they are already doing, but do even more to keep us all safe. There is no denying there are significant challenges. So, I’m grateful that the public recognise we need to work together to tackle those challenges, with a majority of people who responded to our consultation keen for us to invest in South Yorkshire Police to make sure that they have the funding they need. I’m also grateful to the cross-party Police and Crime Panel for their unanimous support.

“I want to see South Yorkshire Police do even more to prioritise knife crime. I want our roads to become much, much safer. I want more to be done to tackle anti-social behaviour and neighbourhood crime, and when crime does happen, to respond more quickly. I want people to have more confidence in policing across South Yorkshire. This budget means there will be a stable approach to police funding this year and an ambitious approach to delivering the new direction I have outlined for South Yorkshire Police.  

The proposed budget for policing for 2025/26 amounts to £358.4 million. Nearly three-quarters of the funding for policing in South Yorkshire is provided by the government in the form of a grant to the Mayor. The remaining money is raised through the precept. South Yorkshire’s precept is currently one of the lowest out of 43 forces in England and Wales. 

Cllr Trevor Smith, Chair of the Police and Crime Panel, said: “As a Panel we have scrutinised the proposed budget to ensure that it provides value for money for the residents of South Yorkshire.
“Whilst we acknowledge the financial pressures facing our residents, we also recognise the need for South Yorkshire Police to have the necessary resources to continue to deliver effective policing over the next financial year, whilst at the same time acknowledging the continuing financial pressures the force faces.
“On this basis the Panel supports the Mayor’s proposal for the budget and the increase for the council tax precept.”

At the Police and Crime Panel meeting a precept increase of £14 on a Band D property was agreed. This will allow the Mayor to agree a balanced budget for South Yorkshire Police for financial year 2025/26. Work will continue on the budget, taking account of other Government announcements, before the final budget is presented on the 18 March alongside the wider MCA Group budget position.