Council tax rise goes ahead after 3,200 respond to Commissioner's poll |
Surrey Police will be properly-funded to tackle crimes that are important to residents thanks to an increase in council tax, the Commissioner said.
Lisa Townsend's proposals for a 4.3 per cent increase to the precept - the part of council tax that goes directly to policing - were confirmed at a meeting of the Police and Crime Panel yesterday.
More than 3,200 Surrey residents had their say as part of a public survey.
Residents were asked whether they would be prepared to pay the suggested £14 extra a year on their council tax bill.
59% of respondents said they would be willing to pay the £14 increase while 41% voted against it.
The policing element of an average Band D Council Tax bill will now be set at £337.57, an increase of £14 a year or £1.16 a month.
It equates to around a 4.3% increase across all council tax bands.
Lisa said: "I'd like to thank everyone who took the time to respond to my survey. Your opinions matter, and I'm really grateful for your views.
"Surrey Police has been one of the fastest improving forces in the country over the last year and I am determined to ensure that brilliant progress is sustained.
“That's why it is so vital our policing teams are given the right support and I am delighted that that my precept proposal will go ahead.
“The contributions the Surrey public make are absolutely crucial in helping our hard-working officers and staff tackle those crimes I know are so important to people in our local communities."
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Hub dedicated to tackling domestic abuse will continue to be funded |
A new organisation that aims to change the cycle of abuse and protect victims will continue to be funded, it has been announced.
Steps to Change, which draws together experts from a range of organisations focused on violence in the home, opened to clients last year after the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner secured £2million from the last government.
Funding had been due to run out in 2025, and Commissioner Lisa Townsend had called on the Labour government to commit to continued funding for all Surrey organisations.
It has now been revealed that the hub, which is managed by Interventions Alliance, will continue to receive funding until March 2026
The funding will support all three services responsible for delivering Steps to Change interventions - the Surrey Domestic Abuse Partnership, Interventions Alliance and Waythrough.
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Lisa directly helps fund a number of Surrey-based services, including the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre, the Victim and Witness Care Unit, and the Surrey Domestic Abuse Partnership.
Lisa said: "I'm absolutely delighted that this fantastic service will continue to operate.
"Surrey Police has substantially increased its charging rate for offences specifically targeting women and girls in the past 12 months, and we must be ready to support victims, as well as to directly deal with offending.
"Abuse at home can stain generations, and supporting prevention is vital."
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04 Feb - Commissioner to join MP Ben Spencer at a residents' meeting in New Haw (tickets here)
10 Feb - Commissioner to meet with social science students at the University of Surrey
10 Feb - Pubwatch annual general meeting in Guildford
11 Feb - Commissioner to talk to pupils at Howard of Effingham School
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Hundreds have their say at policing roadshow |
Hundreds of people have had their say on crime and policing in their communities at a three-month roadshow during the autumn and winter.
The Policing Your Community events took place in each of the 11 boroughs, as well as online.
During the meetings, hosted by Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend, Surrey Police Chief Constable Tim De Meyer, and each of the Borough Commanders, a number of common concerns emerged.
These include anti-social behaviour, burglary, police visibility and shoplifting.
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Surrey Police is dedicated to tackling crime. In the past 12 months, the Force has more than doubled its charge rate, with an additional 3,500 offences prosecuted.
An additional 2,500 arrests have also been made.
Burglary and assault with injury charges have both increased by 90 per cent, while shoplifting charges have increased four-fold with 876 more offences charged across the county.
The Commissioner said: “These events allowed myself and the Chief Constable to hear what people are most concerned about where they live.
“In the coming weeks, I’ll be sharing more about my plans for the coming years, and I’ll be highlighting some of the fantastic work done by our hard-working teams.”
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There are a number of ways to get hold of Surrey Police if you need the Force this year.
You can call 101, or go online to use digital 101, for non-emergency calls.
Whether you call or go online, your contact will be treated exactly the same way.
If you'd like to make contact about a job, lost property, to give feedback or for firearms licensing queries, there are different ways to contact the Force.
Always call 999 in an emergency.
For more information about how to get in touch with Surrey Police, no matter what your query might be, visit the link below.
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