Forums Forums Local News Merseyside policing tax to rise by 5%

HOUSEHOLDS across Merseyside will pay 5% more for policing next year after the city region’s police authority set an inflation-busting tax increase yesterday.

The force says the rise was necessary to offset a “disappointing” grant settlement from the Government.

For most Merseyside households the rise means the policing element of their council tax will rise by £4.47 a year, or 9p per week.

The authority has pledged an extra 79 operational officers will join the front line in the coming year.

They will include 32 new officers and 47 others redeployed from back office duties. The majority of these will be deployed across Merseyside, but some will join the Matrix Firearms Unit and others bolstering the Schools Officer contingent.

The force will also create a £300,000 Taser “reserve fund” in case it chooses to hand out more of the 50,000-volt stun guns.

UK police forces were awarded an average grant increase of 2.8% from the Government. But Merseyside was given just 2.6% more.

Cllr Bill Weightman, chairman of the authority, said last night: “In recent years the budget deficit has been as high as £12m so to be in the position to continue to develop the service further has taken a great deal of hard work.

“But, as an authority, we have been determined to increase the numbers of officers on the beat and this will continue in the coming year. It can also be achieved by the redeployment of police officers to frontline duties and using PCSOs. This budget has identified a number of savings that will address existing budgetary pressures but will allow investment in new posts which is quite an achievement in the current financial climate.

“There will always be pressures on the budget but we will continue to support the Chief Constable’s aspirations to become the best police force in the country.”

In a statement the authority added that existing Police Community Support Officer levels will be maintained and building upgrades will continue.

THE DAILY POST

u know something i may as well just give all my money to the goverment cause thats what i do is give my money to the goverment..

If anyone asks me:

Person asking "What is your problem with this country?"

Me "Well they rob me of my money every pay day so thats why i hate this country yes!! nothing is for free but come on everything i do is charged by the goverment in VAT, Council Tax or Income Tax let alone when i switch the tw**ing tv on im charged for that to so basically they get every penny i earn"

So you see Rant Over

im with you ther mate

I don't have a problem paying £5 more, I would rather pay £10 more and have effective policing, especially with the credit crunch, crime is bound to rise.

Same goes for fire brigade, one of their pay rises would have put 30p a year on our council tax.

How come there are always big arguemnts on the elements of coucil tax that cost the least - somebody picking on the small guys?

isnt money they need its getting them policing properly.

bad attitudes piss poor driving standards is just a start.

I work closely with police now and again they are more conerned about there pensions when they quit they told me and i aint talking about the average street bobby either.

hmm..well management styles at our place kinda go along the line of "the beatings will continue until morale improves...." so no wonder we are kinda fed up!

And as for piss poor driving standards..Hell I agree with you...standard drivers get a fooking piss poor 3 week course...which they still manage to fail!!

At least i can say i did a fair bit more than that to get my qualification!!!!

That's quite a broad sweeping statement! You cannot say that all are like that (although I'm sure Beemertastic will put me right if I am wrong). There will always be one or two "bad apples" so to speak, but the majority do it because they enjoy the job one would assume. Personally, I think it takes a special kind of person to do a job where you know you are going to be so hated by certain parts of society.

I said they aint street bobbys but the guys in suits and very highly paid i work with.
There attitude to there job is pretty disgusting.

I also go into police stations all over the wirral not been arrested lol and alot of the chat isnt much different.

I hear it everytime.

It's not just Uniform that are hated though, it's all areas. Like I say, good and bad everywhere. I work in Law myself so know some of the attitudes and also have some extremely good friends who are Police so know what you are saying. But the ones I know actually DO love the job, despite the "beatings" from the Suits.

I'm more than prepared to pay a little extra Council Tax for the likes of the Emergency Services, it's what goes to the fooktards in the council who sit on their arris shuffling paper that I object to. But unfortunately, I can do nothing about it.

Hey Ho!