Staffordshire Commissioner’s Police and Fire & Rescue precepts approved

Staffordshire Commissioner Ben Adams’ Police and Fire & Rescue precepts – the contributions residents make as part of their annual council tax – have been approved by the Police, Fire & Crime Panel, following an extensive consultation with residents about how much they would be willing to pay for the services.

Ben said: “This has been another challenging year for setting the budgets for our Police and Fire & Rescue services. Once again, government grant funding does not fully cover the increased cost of inflation, pay rises, or national policy decisions. The government talks about increased ‘spending power’ for emergency services, but unfortunately this relies on above-inflation increases in local council tax. 

“My preference would always be not to raise council tax. However, this would lead to real cuts in your services and a reduction in their capability to keep you safe, and I do not believe that is what any of us want. 

“Every penny raised will be focused on strengthening both services so they are fit for the future. This, coupled with robust savings, will mean we are all better off and safer. It will allow us to continue investing in officers and staff, maintain our firefighter numbers, and ensure they have the equipment and skills required to keep themselves – and you – safe.

“I believe the increases below provide the best possible foundation for both services to continue keeping our communities safe.

Find out more: Budget - Staffordshire Commissioner