Warwickshire residents to pay around £10 a year more for police, funding 55 extra officers and five extra PSCOs

Extra police officers, more PCSOs and a strengthened response to violence against women and girls are among the improvements to be made by Warwickshire Police after a budget for the coming year was approved at the second time of asking.

It will mean an increase of 3.85 per cent to the police precept element of council tax, meaning an extra £9.75 each year for those living in an average band D property.

The county’s police and crime commissioner Philip Seccombe had proposed a £9.99 increase in line with the majority of other forces up and down the country but this was rejected by the Warwickshire Police and Crime Panel when it met last month. The revised figure was approved at a supplementary meeting this week, February 10.

The new budget will mean 55 extra police officers will be taken on which will see the force reach its target of 1,100, the highest in Warwickshire Police’s history. A further five PCSOs will be signed up - one for each of the districts and boroughs.

A strengthened response to violence against women and girls will be provided with investments in the force’s vulnerability teams and there will also be increased resources for road safety and domestic and sexual abuse victims through increased Commissioner’s grants.

Speaking at this week’s meeting, Mr Seccombe admitted he had been disappointed with the panel’s decision to veto his initial budget.

He said: “I do understand the concerns raised about affordability and hopefully I have taken that into account in preparing the revised budget.

“I have to make sure that the chief constable has the resources for an effective and efficient force. I also have to make sure that the budget meets the expectations of the public and our residents. The public will come to me and for every extra pound that is spent, they will want a benefit for the community.”

Three members of the panel abstained during the vote on whether or not to accept the commissioner’s revised figures with the remainder giving it the thumbs up.

Mr Seccombe added: “Our part of the increase in precept that tax players will receive this March will be quite a small portion. I am a taxpayer as well and we have to pay for services, they are not free.

"People always say they want improved services - they want to see the police more responsive and to see them more visible. They want them to do more. That’s the request I have to balance against what I think people can afford.”