Police and crime commissioner asks for 3.5 per cent council tax increase (From Gazette)
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Essex police and crime commissioner Nick Alston asks for 3.5 per cent council tax increase
Nick Alston
COUNCIL tax payers will be asked to fork out an extra 40p a month to help fund the county's police officers.
Newly-elected police and crime commissioner Nick Alston said the increase for policing, in the council tax precept, would amount to a £4.77 increase residents living in Band D homes would have to pay each year.
The hike is still yet to be agreed by the police and crime panel but it would help the force as it continues to make savings of £42million by 2014.
Comments(40)
Eric Whim
says...
12:03pm Wed 23 Jan 13
Whether or not it'd make any difference to the number of 'real' police officers on the beat (you're having a laugh.Ed.) or actually do anything to noticebly reduce crime is a different matter.
Still nice little addition to the coffers however you look at it.
micksmercs
says...
12:39pm Wed 23 Jan 13
Rich2k
says...
12:45pm Wed 23 Jan 13
Eric Whim wrote:No it's not a lot of money, however the problem is EVERYTHING is going up.
40p a month isn't a fortune is it?
Whether or not it'd make any difference to the number of 'real' police officers on the beat (you're having a laugh.Ed.) or actually do anything to noticebly reduce crime is a different matter.
Still nice little addition to the coffers however you look at it.
- Train fares go up
- Petrol goes up
- VAT up
- Energy Bills up
- Food prices up
- wages NOT up
At some point enough is enough, we can't afford for everything to keep going up without the means to pay for it
itsmyopinionthatcounts
says...
12:50pm Wed 23 Jan 13
perini wrote:Totally agree, I really cannot remember the last time I saw a "proper" beat bobby. All we seem to see now is community support officers.
Start doing the job you are currently getting paid to do before asking for more money! Should be paid by results - that would be a cost-saver to the general public!
rhetoric
says...
12:53pm Wed 23 Jan 13
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It was my first thought when I saw the news item.
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There should be a basic rate to start, then any increments could be results-led.
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Maybe there could be an element to take into account their attitude to and respect for the general public? Loutishness at off-duty times could bring a decrease.
.
mirokou
says...
2:05pm Wed 23 Jan 13
Dont need any more money Mr Allston just be aware of how they manipulate their budgets and direct the budgets yourself. A firearms team 3rd largest in country ? One the largest vehicle fleets in the country?
Actually walk in one day to a few stations and see how many are actually responding to the general public calls. You may be in for a shock.
SpiffSpaffington1984
says...
2:17pm Wed 23 Jan 13
sKorch
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2:23pm Wed 23 Jan 13
mr_happy
says...
2:44pm Wed 23 Jan 13
firedog
says...
4:21pm Wed 23 Jan 13
the seat of their uniform trousers.
brain1
says...
4:48pm Wed 23 Jan 13
This was Camerons plan and we deserve what we get.
Think only another 4 years and we can get rid of him
Nebs
says...
5:58pm Wed 23 Jan 13
jim_bo
says...
6:12pm Wed 23 Jan 13
Forces might get out and start tackling real crime.
iknowbetter
says...
6:38pm Wed 23 Jan 13
Nebs wrote:Great idea Nebs but the fundamental floor in this idea is the police will then concentrate on targeting crime that has value to them and not so much on anti social behaviour for example or burglary, Car crime etc. Crimes that matter to ordinary folk.
Payment by results, the police should be able to keep half of any proceeds of crime to add to their budget. Crime will then drop to a manageable level as the police will get more money when there is more crime (that they solve) and less money when there is less crime.
Eric Whim is right, its not alot of money but the problems I have are will there still be cuts? Someone already said it, 3,5% increase last year but instead of seeing improvements we see cuts, Fire service cuts for example, police stations closing is another. So where last years increase go? whats to say any further increase wont go the same way?. If I'm asked to agree with parting with my hard earned then I would want assurances the money goes where it will do some good.
Grabber
says...
7:00pm Wed 23 Jan 13
John T Pharro
says...
7:20pm Wed 23 Jan 13
GrumpyofLeigh
says...
7:27pm Wed 23 Jan 13
But for all of the chat above, where do we get our chance to contribute to the debate on policing priorities (given we pay for it)?
Nebs
says...
7:49pm Wed 23 Jan 13
kris H
says...
10:11pm Wed 23 Jan 13
They are asking more money from us. Yet they are taking more and more money as so called wages and bonuses.
I think that it is time that those commissioners and councillor's take a massif pay cut to fund the crime stoppers.
The police can do a lot more too. More out on the streets and a lot less admin. Leave that to outside team of people to do. Then they can be out there getting on with the job of stopping crime
paulzone
says...
10:49pm Wed 23 Jan 13
Stoko66
says...
11:06pm Wed 23 Jan 13
And, this a big and! If they do manage to Nick any one it is the wrong person, or they **** up the paperwork and they go free. Failing that the justice system slaps their wrists! An example is the foreign cabbie that gets done for rape and gets ONLY 8 years!
Southend65
says...
12:03am Thu 24 Jan 13
Within weeks of starting in his £85k a year post (+ perks) the New Crime Commissioner has the gall to suggest that council taxpayers pay extra to fund police officers.
Would it not be better for him to resign from his post and spend the money saved on his salary, office and perks on proper police doing proper work?
After all, we managed to do without this guy for years.
And having a Crime Commissioner called Nick just makes be laugh :3)
knobwash
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1:12pm Thu 24 Jan 13
wellnow
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1:16pm Thu 24 Jan 13
To col u as well.
knobwash
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1:16pm Thu 24 Jan 13
knobwash
says...
1:24pm Thu 24 Jan 13
Stoko66
says...
5:17pm Thu 24 Jan 13
knobwash wrote:Where do you get these stats knob? Want to look into this further...
Police 25℅ of the police force inessex are currently on long term sick and suspension rectify that and you can solve the problem of manning
fletch12107
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4:03pm Fri 25 Jan 13
Soouthchurch59
says...
5:31pm Fri 25 Jan 13
jolllyboy
says...
10:09pm Fri 25 Jan 13
stopmoaning1
says...
12:39pm Sun 27 Jan 13
knobwash wrote:Ah, knobwash, I see you are one of these people who like to jump on the bandwagon and spout off without checking your facts first.
Police 25℅ of the police force inessex are currently on long term sick and suspension rectify that and you can solve the problem of manning
Read your Council Tax bill. It explains how the money is allocated. You will see that there are two completely separate allocations for Essex Police Authority and Essex Fire Authority. This is where the proposed increase is. We are NOT being asked to pay TWICE
Secondly, 25% of the police off long term sick or suspended. REALLY? If you are confident with this figure YOU have put into the public domain, brave up and explain where you got the figures from so they can be verified.
If everything you have said was correct, we would all agree and support you. Instead, you have made a public fool of yourself
stopmoaning1
says...
12:40pm Sun 27 Jan 13
knobwash wrote:Ah, I see you are one of these people who like to jump on the bandwagon and spout off without checking your facts first.
Just a small point we already pay for policing through our Council Tax the portion which goes to Essex County Council why pay a second time
Read your Council Tax bill. It explains how the money is allocated. You will see that there are two completely separate allocations for Essex Police Authority and Essex Fire Authority. This is where the proposed increase is. We are NOT being asked to pay TWICE
Secondly, 25% of the police off long term sick or suspended. REALLY? If you are confident with this figure YOU have put into the public domain, brave up and explain where you got the figures from so they can be verified.
If everything you have said was correct, we would all agree and support you. Instead, you have made a public fool of yourself
maddriver
says...
3:42pm Sun 27 Jan 13
itsmyopinionthatcounThe old idea of the 'bobby on the beat' is long gone. Modern policing is totally different. The leg work is now done by PCSOs because it is cheaper and they only work daytimes and are not required to do any overtime or extra work.
ts wrote:
perini wrote:Totally agree, I really cannot remember the last time I saw a "proper" beat bobby. All we seem to see now is community support officers.
Start doing the job you are currently getting paid to do before asking for more money! Should be paid by results - that would be a cost-saver to the general public!
We will never see PCs back on the beat because that isn't how modern policing works.
pendulum
says...
5:11am Mon 28 Jan 13
On the other hand, the Police generally do a good job, but their efforts are wasted because the career criminals they catch don't get sent to prison. They're free to reoffend time after time and create much work for the Police (and many victims out of the public). Let's take the strain off the Police and lock up career criminals for many years.
stopmoaning1
says...
4:26pm Mon 28 Jan 13
pendulum wrote:Didn’t vote for him because his dad was a police officer around thirty years ago. Unbelievably highbrow logic. Well done
Alson's dad was a police officer and this is mainly why I didn't vote for him. I suspected he'd be too much for acting in the interests of the Police and not enough for acting in the interests of the Public. Nothing he has done so far has changed my opinion of him.
On the other hand, the Police generally do a good job, but their efforts are wasted because the career criminals they catch don't get sent to prison. They're free to reoffend time after time and create much work for the Police (and many victims out of the public). Let's take the strain off the Police and lock up career criminals for many years.
Shoebury_Cyclist
says...
10:53am Tue 29 Jan 13
perini wrote:That would create a downward spiral. The police are under-manned as it is. They cannot respond to every call. To implement results related funding means their results ratio falls, so their funding falls, meaning less policing, fewer results, less funding, less policing, fewer results, less funding… and so on.
Start doing the job you are currently getting paid to do before asking for more money! Should be paid by results - that would be a cost-saver to the general public!
Nebs
says...
12:23am Wed 30 Jan 13
Shoebury_Cyclist wrote:Could equally be an upward spiral, spend a few days nicking cars with no insurance and cyclists with no lights, results up, more funding, more police, etc.
perini wrote:That would create a downward spiral. The police are under-manned as it is. They cannot respond to every call. To implement results related funding means their results ratio falls, so their funding falls, meaning less policing, fewer results, less funding, less policing, fewer results, less funding… and so on.
Start doing the job you are currently getting paid to do before asking for more money! Should be paid by results - that would be a cost-saver to the general public!
Shoebury_Cyclist
says...
7:53am Wed 30 Jan 13
Nebs wrote:For a real results boost they could book every motorist parked on a pavement in the Southend area.
Shoebury_Cyclist wrote:Could equally be an upward spiral, spend a few days nicking cars with no insurance and cyclists with no lights, results up, more funding, more police, etc.
perini wrote:That would create a downward spiral. The police are under-manned as it is. They cannot respond to every call. To implement results related funding means their results ratio falls, so their funding falls, meaning less policing, fewer results, less funding, less policing, fewer results, less funding… and so on.
Start doing the job you are currently getting paid to do before asking for more money! Should be paid by results - that would be a cost-saver to the general public!
Stoko66
says...
4:41pm Wed 30 Jan 13
Shoebury_Cyclist wrote:For a real boost that will gain public faith in the old bill. Nick some REAL criminals!
Nebs wrote:For a real results boost they could book every motorist parked on a pavement in the Southend area.
Shoebury_Cyclist wrote:Could equally be an upward spiral, spend a few days nicking cars with no insurance and cyclists with no lights, results up, more funding, more police, etc.
perini wrote:That would create a downward spiral. The police are under-manned as it is. They cannot respond to every call. To implement results related funding means their results ratio falls, so their funding falls, meaning less policing, fewer results, less funding, less policing, fewer results, less funding… and so on.
Start doing the job you are currently getting paid to do before asking for more money! Should be paid by results - that would be a cost-saver to the general public!
The judicial system and could help by giving worthwhile sentences! !!
Making it worth while for the Police to arrest real crooks!
perini says...
11:30am Wed 23 Jan 13