Humberside Police Precept: Residents Asked to Pay More for Less Under Conservative PCC

The East Riding Liberal Democrats are expressing serious concern following the decision to hike the police portion of council tax (the precept) by 6.3%, a move that forces Band D households to cough up an extra £18.49 a year.

​While we all want a well-funded, effective police force, this increase feels like a double blow to residents already squeezed by the cost-of-living crisis. Once again, the Conservative Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) is passing the buck to local taxpayers because the central government has failed to provide adequate, sustainable funding.

​A "Tax Hike" Strategy That Doesn't Add Up
​The PCC’s own report admits that even with this £5.5m windfall, the force is still looking at "making savings." This raises a vital question: Why are residents being asked to pay significantly more just to stand still?

​The Lib Dem perspective is clear: the public shouldn't be the "emergency fund" for a failure in national oversight. Despite the PCC's consultation showing that nearly 40% of respondents wanted a much lower increase, the panel pushed ahead with a rise that exceeded the usual government cap.

​The Liberal Democrat View: Community First
​Liberal Democrats believe in Community Policing. We want to see officers back on the beat, visible in our villages and towns, not just responding to emergencies after they’ve happened.

​"People in the East Riding want to feel safe in their homes and see a visible police presence in their communities. Increasing the burden on hardworking families during a cost-of-living crisis, while still warning of further cuts and savings, is a bitter pill to swallow." Cllr Paul Smith 

​Our Policy: Scrapping Wasteful Bureaucracy
​The Liberal Democrats have long campaigned to scrap the "failed experiment" of Police and Crime Commissioners. We believe the millions spent on these offices and their staff should be reinvested directly into the frontline.

​Abolishing PCCs: National Liberal Democrat policy is to abolish Police and Crime Commissioners, we believe power should reside with local people and their elected representatives as part of a policing board, not just be consolidated into another mayoral office as suggested by the Labour Government. 

​Restoring the Burglary Response: We believe every domestic burglary should be attended by an officer, a goal made harder by the current funding gap. 

Rural Crime Team: We are calling for a dedicated rural crime team in every force. Our policy would ensure that rural communities often the hardest hit by theft and isolation, are no longer treated as an afterthought. 

​The Bottom Line
​The 6.3% increase is a symptom of a government that has lost its way on law and order. Residents in the East Riding deserve a police force that is funded fairly by the Treasury, not one that relies on breaking the £15 cap just to maintain "minimum levels of reserves."

​We will continue to challenge the PCC and any future authority, to ensure that every penny of your council tax is spent on frontline visibility and tackling the crimes that matter most, like rural crime and anti-social behavior.


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