Voice your opinion on council tax

In January Warwickshire Police Authority launched an online survey inviting members of the public to say how much of a precept they were prepared to pay to help police make huge budget savings whilst keeping reductions in the force to a minimum.

So far the authority has received hundreds of responses with a wide range of views expressed from reduction to a significant precept rise.

The results will be taken to the authority’s budget meeting on February 23, where the precept for the coming year will be set.

Warwickshire Police has to make savings of £22.9m over the next four years.

Oliver Winters the chief executive of Warwickshire Police Authority said: “The purpose of this consultation is to determine whether there is a public willingness to meet some of the savings target through an increase in council tax in order to minimise any reductions in the police service. “The current level of the police council tax for an average property (Band D) is £174.10 a year.

“An additional £1 increase in council tax would generate £200,000 income for policing. A 1% increase would generate £347,000. However, the government have stated that if the council tax increase is limited to 2.5% (£4.35) they would pay this amount to the Police Authority in the form of a grant to avoid the council tax payer from having to meet the increase.

“Any increase above 2.5% would result in having to forego the grant and all of the increase would fall on the council tax payer.

“I am delighted with the response to the survey so far but it is important that as many people as possible have their views taken into account.

“I would encourage those who have not yet taken part to visit our website and vote.”

The survey can be found online.