ANDY Burnham has revealed that he plans to increase the part of Greater Manchester’s council tax which helps to fund police and fire services.
Under the proposal, a Band B property would see the police precept part of their council tax bill rise to £199.34 per year – a rise of £10.11.
The same property would also see the fire precept jump by £3.89 to £63.16, but the mayor’s precept – which contributes to bus transport and addressing homelessness – would stay at £24.69.
Greater Manchester Mayor Mr Burnham has said the proposed increases will help GMP continue to progress as the country’s fastest improving force and remain one of the best in the country for answering 999 and 101 calls.
It will also go towards a further 30 police officers in frontline roles, as well as more policing of the transport network and prosecuting offenders with a focus on increasing arrests for sex offenders.
Three quarters of police funding comes from central government and the rest from the police precept. The mayor’s office says the proposed government grant rise is 1.5 per cent below inflation.
Increased funding for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service will help to maintain firefighter and engine numbers amid inflationary pressures, and support the first additional fire engines in the city-region for 15 years, taking the fleet up from 50 pumps in 2017 to 52.
It will also contribute to a fund of up to £1 million for prevention and protection work across Greater Manchester to reduce fire and rescue incidents.
Mr Burnham said local council taxpayers are being asked to pay more due to below inflation government grants to the services.
“I am proposing to freeze the Mayor’s precept for the coming financial year, recognising people are still under pressure with the cost of living,” he commented. “We need to think very carefully before we ask people for more money.
“I am really proud of the work of our emergency services in Greater Manchester, but they need more support to help them continue to improve.”
Kate Green, Deputy Mayor for Policing, Crime, Fire and Criminal Justice, added: “I’m delighted with the improvements we’ve seen in recent years in GMP and GMFRS and that communities can see what a difference strong leadership prioritising things that matter to people and investing in frontline services has made.
“We are not complacent and we recognise that more needs to be done so it is vital that we continue to invest in the areas that are important to our communities by doing more in neighbourhood and public transport policing, responding to incidents quicker and arresting and prosecuting more offenders as well as recruiting more frontline officers, purchasing more fire engines and protecting people from fire incidents.”
Residents can respond to a consultation on the police precept by visiting www.gmconsult.org by January 24, before the final precept is scrutinised by the Greater Manchester Police, Fire and Crime Panel – which is made up of councillors from each of the 10 councils and chaired by a councillor.
Final recommendations across all budgets will be considered for approval by a special budget meeting of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority on February 9.
Why have we got a police force in tameside
The Scouser is shafting us again. James Pinnock you are correct , our police force is a joke. Motoring offences they are on you anything that needs investigating don’t bother