Isle of Wight residents will face an average £15 increase to their council tax bill for policing from April, it has been confirmed.
The police precept will increase by 7.1%, which equates to 29p a week, £1.25 a month or £15 a year for a Band D property. This is on top of the anticipated 5% rise from the Isle of Wight Council and any parish/town council precept increases.
The decision was agreed today (Friday) at a meeting of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Police and Crime Panel.
It was noted, however, 66.1% of houses across Hampshire and the Island are in Band A to C, so increases to payments will start at £10.
Hampshire Constabulary’s chief constable Olivia Pinkney said it is an opportunity the police force could not afford to miss as she is ‘uncomfortable with the areas’ that are currently missing out, due to continuous underfunding. She said:
“I know there are criminals making people’s lives a misery and I would like to do more than we are currently able to do.
“I do not ask for this increase lightly but it allows me, as I have never been able to do before, to take the fight to the criminals.”
With the increase, the chief constable promised 146 new officers across the 2 counties to help provide a visible presence in communities, prevent crime and investigate more, while also investing in tackling county lines drug offences and the backlog in the criminal justice system.
On the Island, there will also be investment in the police estate.
Hampshire and Isle of Wight police crime commissioner, Michael Lane, said the budget is not only for the here and now but also helps the constabulary prepare for further challenges. He also said he was very conscious of the effect the pandemic has had on residents and the ‘stretched economy’ but after considering funding scenarios, the 7.1% increase was all he could recommend.
Members of the panel echoed concerns of affordability for residents but unanimously approved the precept increase.
The police precept is taken as part of resident’s council tax along with the social care, fire and local town and parish council precepts.
The Isle of Wight Council is expected to announce its budget, and subsequent council tax funding, in February.
As normal, bloated councils make increases way above inflation rate. Now we have police and fire enforcing there increases, with no regard for hard pressed taxpayers. Note that all these organisations have a very nice pension package, with earlier retirement than most.
I thought the police precept was a tax without representation that is merley advised to The People as an accompanied message and not PART of the council tax.
Don’t forget the police and crime commissioner election in May – vote the current one out.
On the island we have the laziest police force in the country
hief constable Olivia Pinkney said it is an opportunity the police force could not afford to miss
Shame they aren’t so eager and relentless in their pursuit of burglars, shoplifters and other miscreants, as they are in the pursuit of taxpayers cash.
they will only be funding olivias new office furniture and some more pointless, bonding sessions for officers in far flung places with this cash.
not one more criminal will be facing justice than there is today.
that woman should remember – it is policing by consent – if we decide you are not policing how we want it, then we withdraw our consent and anarchy reigns.
Members of the panel echoed concerns of affordability for residents but unanimously approved the precept increase.
in other words, they couldnt give a f^^k whether it is affordable or not, as long as they have all got their noses wedged in the trough.
Good to see that the response to “consultation” was taken to heart!
Time for Mr Lane to pack his bags, close his office and get a real job.
Wow Might even see a policeman patrolling my area. So that will be a 100% increase. That is not a criticism of our police, its a pointing a finger at central government. They tax us, then so do the council.
Article in County press today with one of the councillors stating that £18000 pounds isn’t a living wage for the council workers. Whish i could get that. So be prepared for the council tax to continue its upward spiral.
Stuart, you cant get blood out of a stone.
“I do not ask for this increase lightly but it allows me, as I have never been able to do before, to take the fight to the criminals.
.,…….
I guess a veiled truth …she finally admits that the police haven’t been bothering to investigate anything and have instead been quaffing tea and biccies at the station, whilst watching for wrong pronouns on twitter.
You’re going to need the extra police in a minute, as nobody’s going to be able to pay their council tax. Already hard pressed honest working people are soon going to be looking committing crimes as it already appears to most that crime pays. Absolutely ridiculous.
Well said.Crime pays no punishment and hard working tax payers suffer
The public sector are all doing jolly well out of this pandemic – whilst the actions of Whitehall and Westminster have thrown millions out of work and destroyed their livelihoods, the civil service (local and national) are all gorging themselves with inflation busting rises to their budgets. Still, gold plated salaries and pensions don’t pay for themselves!
It’s about time the office of Police and Crime Commissioner was abolished. It is wrong that someone with no police experience has the power to tell police forces how they should be run, which crimes they should concentrate on, and have the power to hire and fire Chief Constables. Get rid of the PCC and their £millions budget could be used for real policing and police officers. Let Chief Constables have control of their own forces again. There is not and never should be any place for politics in policing. I am a retired Police officer and happy to be retired. It is not the job I joined. Too many restrictions preventing officers doing the job properly now. The offenders now have more protection than the criminals.
Pointless complaining unless we all vote to show how we feel.
Absolutely disgusting we have to fund the police because of the covid 19 there is enough poverty in this country as it is and alot of people still on furlough and being made redundant as well the Isle of Wight Council had a pay rise last year and put the council tax went up last year shame on you Isle of wight council
Absolute disgrace, this money should be coming from the money that the council steal from us in ever increasing amounts each year.
This council say they care about the welfare of us islanders, partnering up with lots of groups to show they do, but they don’t. They don’t care that they keep pushing up the money they can legally rob out of our accounts, pushing people to the edge and sadly over it. When will this council concede that the average island wage is 13-16k, if you’re lucky you might get up to 18k but not much more, we are not on London wages or anywhere near the u.k. average as they seem to think we are. We as an island need to say NO, NO more money and as a collective refuse to pay it, delete the direct debit they say we have to pay for ever decreasing services. This increase together with the self indulgent increase imposed by the council is around 12%, has any islanders wage packet gone up in the last year, i doubt it. We can all bitch about it on sites like this and they know that’s all that will happen, bit of bitching and disgruntlement then roll over and take it up the ar*se like the good little Tory island we are. If this were about climate or saving some animal there would be hundreds protesting. It worked against Maggie many moons ago. Someone with the organisational skills could get this going, with many more loosing their incomes in the coming months i’m sure it would get support.
Yeah, just kick us all whilst were all down…. nice one, thanks a bunch.
Maybe they can employ more in call center so you can actually report a crime, listening to a message about Covid and then get cut off or can wait 20mins to speak to them,they try to put you off , when you do get through they are often rude. Police have more resources and tech than ever yet for cost they prevent and catch less criminals, when they do the CPS and Courts mess it up. Time for them to look at other Police forces. No one would mind paying more for better service, since part of Hampshire its been rubbish , you could before phone Newport Police STN and get a response emeadiatly with even able to give info to responding officer in real time.
Are they going to increase my pension by 7.1%? No only about 3% so how am I expected to pay this increase?
I know I’m going slightly off track here but does anyone know where the funds accumulated from COVID fines goes? That’s presuming they get handed out in the first place and also if they actually get paid. Would be good to know.
Unfortunately smithy I know the answer but not going to bother saying, because I’m a conspiracy nut! 🙂
That probably means you don’t know. You wouldn’t pass up an opportunity to tell us all!
Oh yes I will!! See there’s only so many times you can bang your head against a wall, until you suddenly realise it won’t change!! Good luck!
Looked it up and I now know too!
Can anyone explain to me why their is a difference in the amount of increase depending on the banding of your property, are those in band D and above going to get better police protection, I don’t think so. Surely this is discrimination against all band D and over property owners. If the whole of the Island is to benefit equally then we should all pay an equal amount towards it.
Why? They do f all.The road I live in stinks 24/7 of drugs,they are buying and selling outside their own front door all day and night,the police do NOTHING but I was walking my dog at 5pm alone as “allowed” I am an oldish woman and they pulled up next to me to ask what I was doing! They like to pick on the old,women,whites and ignore anyone else too scared they might fight back or shout racism.Useless
What a joke. The increase is a nice way to put people under additional stress and worry about paying the bills. Talk about ways to kill off the island.