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08

Feb 2021

Last Updated: 08/02/2021
Politics
Politics

'Not the time' to pay more for North Yorkshire policing

by Calvin Robinson

| 08 Feb, 2021
Comment

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Julia Mulligan, North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, has said North Yorkshire Police is already well funded and it is "not the time" for another precept increase. The rate will be increased by 1.99% for 2021/22.

julia-mulligan-pfcc
Julia Mulligan, the former Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for North Yorkshire.

Now is the not the time to hand North Yorkshire's taxpayers another significant increase in the police precept, the county's police commissioner has said.

Julia Mulligan, North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, said the force had already had increases in the police precept in recent years and is expecting further funding for more officers.

She told a meeting of the North Yorkshire’s Police, Fire and Crime Panel that it was not the time to put a "significant tax burden” on the county during a pandemic.



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The panel agreed a 1.99% increase in the precept for 2021/22 - which will set the rate at £271.06 for a band D property.

Commissioners across the country were given flexibility to increase police precepts by a maximum of £15, which would have resulted in a 5.64% hike in North Yorkshire.

But Mrs Mulligan said the force was well funded and would have to deal with a smaller budget this year.

She said:

“I am really, really mindful at the moment that having had significant increases in the past and the service being relatively well funded that now is not the time to put a signifiant tax burden on the public of North Yorkshire and York.”


Ms Mulligan added that she recognised the proposed increase of 1.99% was “not generous”, but said the force would have to “work hard” to offer services within its budget.

Meanwhile, Michael Porter, chief finance officer for the commissioner, said the response to precept consultation showed that the public was not as supportive of an increase as in recent years.

It comes taxpayers in Harrogate could be set to pay an average of more than £2,000 on their council tax bills this year.

North Yorkshire County Council and Harrogate Borough Council have planned increases in their share of council tax.

Councillors on both authorities will vote on the proposed increases at budget meetings later this month.