Wiltshire Police freeze their council tax precept at the same rate for the third year running
Wiltshire PCC, Angus MacphersonWiltshire Police’s precept as part of next year’s Wiltshire’s council tax rate has been frozen, which means that the average Band D household will pay £157.77 for it services.
So far the only other increase announced is a nine pence in the pound rise for the same band ratepayers in Marlborough, where the town council has approved a 3.73 per cent rise for the coming year.
And Wiltshire Council itself will reveal its budget – and the overall total precept – on February 19.
The proposal for the police freeze came from newly-elected Police and Crime Commissioner Angus Macpherson, and was formally confirmed by the Police and Crime Panel on Wednesday.
The £157.77 sum is the same amount as last year – and the year before that too.
“I am very pleased that residents will benefit from this cap on the policing part of the council tax, especially in the current economic climate,” Mr Macpherson told Marlborough News Online.
“I am confident that we can keep the cost of policing down for households while maintaining effective frontline services.”
The Commissioner promised not to increase the policing part of the council tax for the 2013/14 financial year during his election campaign.
He has now consulted with the business sector, via chamber of commerce groups, and the voluntary community sector on the proposal. He is also continuing to consult with the voluntary community sector on his forthcoming Police and Crime Plan, with a wider public consultation on the plan due to start later this month.
