Extra police officers are coming to Warwickshire but it means there's a rise to the Police Precept

The plans are to have 15 additional call handlers in the main control room.

A new budget for policing in Warwickshire has been agreed and it plans to increase the number of officers and PCSOs.

Total net funding for policing in the county is set to increase to just over £125 million.

To achieve this there is going to be an increase to the Police Precept of 5.3%, which is a £14 per-year increase on an average Band D property.

Around 60% of Warwickshire households are in Bands A-C and so the majority will pay proportionately less.

Some of the plans in the budget are:

• 10 extra officers deployed within local policing in Warwickshire.
• 15 additional call handlers to be located in the main control room to improve the customer contact experience and reduce wait times.
• Increased opening times at Nuneaton resolution centre 
• To fill current Police Community Support Officer vacancies and police officer posts stabilised.
• Active recruitment of more Specials to increase the numbers available to support officers to improve visible policing in Warwickshire.

Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Seccomb, said: “I know that the public want to see continued improvement in the accessibility, visibility and quality of policing they receive. These are the key topics that people raise with me when I meet them and this is supported by the results of the consultation that I undertook to support the budget process.  This also showed that the majority of people are prepared to pay extra for this, along as they see tangible benefits from it.

“I fully accept that many households are facing pressures on their own budgets at the moment and that any increases in the precept may be difficult. At the same time, policing is experiencing rising demand from a growing population and is also not immune to rising costs.

“While we have seen a welcome increase in Central Government funding this year, it alone will not provide the funding we need to protect our services. That’s why I’ve sought to bring forward efficiency savings worth around £1 million pounds, which have been achieved without putting jobs at risk and are a result of the better working practices our previous investments in state-of-the-art IT systems have enabled.

“These alone will not provide the full funding we need, however.  Even to standstill, budgets must increase or we face the real prospect of having to reduce the service to the public, rather than improve it.  I don’t think that is acceptable and it therefore leaves little alternative but to increase the Police Precept.

“I have been clear, however, that in doing so the public must be able to understand very clearly what they are getting for every penny extra they put in. This budget seeks to address their key concerns head on, so I am pleased to receive the support of the Police and Crime Panel.”

The Police Precept levels for 2023/24 will be: