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Jane Mudd is the police and crime commissioner for Gwent. She represents Labour.

I would like to start this month’s column by thanking all the Gwent Police officers and emergency service workers who worked so hard around the clock to respond to the flooding incidents across Caerphilly caused by Storm Bert at the end of November.

While a weather warning was in place, no one had predicted the sheer volume of water that would fall over two days, nor the devastation that it would cause. As well as implementing road closures and helping to recover vehicles, officers were evacuating families for safety, and even assisting the council and partners to unblock drains to ease the flooding.

The Welsh Government has provided some financial support so that Caerphilly County Borough Council can provide grants to households affected by the flooding, and I would urge anyone who has had their property damaged to check whether they are eligible for support.

I was heartened to see so many people rallying around to support their friends, families, and vulnerable members of the community, and would like to thank those that turned out to help others during this awful event.

Dog safety

Gwent Police received recognition for its LEAD initiative at the Safer Communities Wales Awards this month.

LEAD stands for Local Environmental Awareness on Dogs and was launched in Caerphilly in 2023, before being adopted by Gwent’s other authorities earlier this year. The scheme promotes responsible dog ownership, with a clear path of enforcement for irresponsible owners.

It is a partnership approach to community safety involving the police, local authorities and other partners, enabling them to share intelligence and implement a range of measures such as warning letters, acceptable behaviour contracts and enforcement action if appropriate. I am pleased to see the scheme developing well and making a difference to our communities.

Police budget

It is that time again when police and crime commissioners must consider the police budget for the next financial year.

We are responsible for setting the amount that residents pay towards policing each month through their council tax and almost 40% of Gwent Police’s overall budget of £173million comes directly from council tax payments.

This is a difficult decision to make at any time, particularly around the Christmas period. However, without a rise in the council tax precept we will have to make significant savings. 

Before I make any decisions, I want to give you an opportunity to have your say, raise any concerns you may have, or make comments. I promise that your feedback will be read and considered, and that it will influence my decision making.

Please take a few minutes to complete my survey and have your say.

Finally, I would like to thank everyone I have met across the Caerphilly borough since my election in May for being so kind and welcoming. I am incredibly proud to represent the people of Caerphilly as police and crime commissioner and will continue to do my best for you as we move into 2025. I wish you all a merry Christmas, and a happy and healthy new year.