Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent residents are set to pay an extra £14 a year for policing.

Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Ben Adams is proposing a 5.12 per cent increase on the policing council tax precept as part of his budget proposals for 2025/26.

The budget also includes the deletion of 70 to 80 non-police officer posts, most of them currently vacant, as part of £9.9 million of savings. Mr Adams says that government funding for Staffordshire Police has not been enough to compensate for inflation and other cost increases, and that 'difficult choices' have to be made in relation to both savings and the precept.

The council tax rise, which equates to 27p a week, or £14 a year, for a Band D household, is the maximum allowed this year. If the increase is approved, the Band D precept will be £287.57 in 2025/26. Members of the Staffordshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel will examine the budget proposals when they meet on Monday.

Mr Adams said: "It is my duty to secure effective and efficient Police and Fire & Rescue services that ensure community needs are met while commissioning services to prevent crime, reduce anti-social behaviour and support victims across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.

Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Ben Adams (Image supplied).

"I know from my council tax consultation that Staffordshire residents want their police service to keep improving, to further increase officer numbers and to evolve so that they can address local priorities. Regrettably, next year, central government grants will not cover increases in pay, national insurance and inflation while it appears that general election promises to expand neighbourhood policing will not be fully funded.

"I aim to always keep council tax as low as possible, and I am very aware of the pressures on household budgets. However, due to some significant uncertainties and new financial pressures, I am proposing to increase the policing element of the council tax bill this year by 27 pence per week (£14 per annum) to £287.57 for a band D property.

"Not to take these measures now will mean bigger cuts in service and potentially bigger council tax increases in the future. Together, this budget and the medium term financial strategy will put Staffordshire Police in the best possible position to continue to keep us safe."

More than 2,000 Staffordshire residents took part in a consultation on the policing precept, with 46 per cent saying they would like no increase, 23 per cent supporting a £7-a-year hike and 31.1 per cent supporting the £14 increase.

The commissioner's budget report notes that while there has been a £9.6 million headline increase in funding, increased costs such as pay pressures and the rise in employers' National Insurance have resulted in an overall decrease of £5.9 million due to government policy.

Planned investments include the recruitment of 16 additional police officers, electric vehicle infrastructure and new technology to improve contact systems.

Vacant posts are set to be removed or reviewed in departments such as the specialist crime command and public protection unit, with a 'targeted reduction in posts across the command area'. Other budget proposals include £100,000 of increased income generation from solar power and £250,000 of procurement savings across the force.

The budget report states that £1.5 million of neigbourhood policing funding, announced by the government in December, will be ringfenced for the neighbourhood policing guarantee, and so cannot be used to support the core budget. On Friday, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced a further £100 million for neighbourhood policing across England and Wales, on top of the £100m announced in December.

Ms Cooper said: This major investment marks a turning point for policing in this country. By doubling extra neighbourhood funding to £200 million, we are giving forces across the country what they need to put more officers and PCSOs where they're needed most – on our streets and in our town centres."

The government says that the final policing funding settlement will mean an extra £1.1 billion for forces in 2025/26, including support for pay awards and the NI increase.

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