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The Government has been clear that it expects police forces to be increasingly funded through local precept contributions. While I will continue to argue for a fairer national funding model, I also have a responsibility to ensure Dorset Police has the resources it needs to keep people safe and tackle crime.
Despite ongoing efficiency work across the force, next year we face a number of unavoidable financial pressures.
The amount Dorset receives through central government funding does not cover the above inflation increases in supplies and services, nor does it cover the underfunded mandatory pay awards, or the ever-increasing overall cost of policing, especially when it comes to dealing with extensive and complex investigations, public protests and demonstrations. In addition, we must meet the continuing costs of officer recruitment and retention.
As a result, I have very limited options and must ask Dorset residents how much additional funding they would be prepared to contribute through the policing precept.
To be clear – we are expecting the government to limit the rise in precept to approximately £14.00 – the lowest amount in the options set out below. This amount will not be enough to balance the Force budget.