The charge for North Yorkshire Police is set to increase by 1.99% so officers can better protect vulnerable people, the county’s police boss has said.
Julia Mulligan, the police, fire and crime commissioner for North Yorkshire, said the rise in the precept – included in council tax bills – will also help increase the number of officers on the ground.
The rise was agreed today by the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel. It amounts to an increase of £5.29 a year for someone living in a Band D property.
Ms Mulligan told the panel: “I am really mindful that having had significant increases in the past and the service being relatively well funded now is not the time to put a significant additional tax burden on the public.
“My proposal is for a rise of 1.99%. That isn’t a generous proposal for the police who will have to work hard to make sure they can deliver services within budget”
The increase will come into force from April and the same 1.99% rise will also be applied to charges for fire services – an increase of £1.45.
Ms Mulligan added: “Our emergency services continue to do everything they can to keep us safe and feeling safe, and it is important we ensure they can continue to do that facing challenges that no-one would have predicted just one year ago.
“I am pleased the Police, Fire and Crime Panel agreed with the proposal which will keep us safe and feeling safe while not placing an unfair burden on families facing unprecedented pressures on their finances.”
Meanwhile, North Yorkshire County Council is proposing a 3.49% increase to its proportion of bills. This equates to a £47.58 rise and includes a general council tax increase of 1.99% and setting the adult social care precept at 1.5%.
Harrogate Borough Council has also proposed that its council tax collections should be increased by the maximum £5.
Both councils will vote on their proposals next Wednesday which if approved could mean the average council tax bill in the Harrogate district would exceed £2,000 once local town and parish councils collections are added.
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