6.78% Gwent Police tax precept rise backed by panel

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Council taxpayers across Gwent will face a 6.78% rise in the amount they pay towards policing.

The average amount each household pays for policing through council tax will raise by £1.73 per month from April.

An average Band D property would pay an extra £20.72 each year.

The rise was approved by the Gwent Police and Crime Panel, which is a body made up of representatives from across each of the five counties in Gwent, in a meeting on Friday January 27.

A budget bid put forward by Gwent Police’s Chief Constable Pam Kelly requested a budget of around £170m for 2023/24.

Gwent Police and Crime Commissioner, Jeff Cuthbert, said: “I have listened to residents across Gwent throughout the year.

“Overwhelmingly, they have told me that they are prepared to pay more to support essential services but also that they are struggling. The pressures that the cost-of-living crisis is putting on our residents is clear.

“However, unfortunately, policing is not immune to these rising costs. We are seeing rising demand across services and this increase is a compromise between affordability for residents and the money Chief Constable Pam Kelly needs to maintain services for the next year.

“I will make up the shortfall from reserves but, even then, further efficiency savings will have to be identified.”

Mr Cuthbert admitted it was “not a sustainable solution” but added: “I will continue to call on the Home Office to provide policing with more funding to meet the exceptional costs we now face to maintain service delivery.”