THE NORTH Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner has launched a consultation on next year’s police precept.

Julia Mulligan said despite continuing austerity, her force’s funding is in a good state due to 45 per cent of funding coming from sources other than central government.

She reported an under-spend of more than £500,000 in policing this year in North Yorkshire, and the service currently has general, unallocated, reserves of almost £10 million.

There are three options in the consultation: freeze the local police precept and receive a grant of £640,000 from the government; increase the precept by 1.99 per cent to raise nearly £1.2 million for next year and subsequent years, but avoid a referendum; or put the precept up by more than 1.99 per cent which will mean at least £700,000 spent on a referendum.

If the precept is frozen, North Yorkshire Police will receive a one-off grant of £640,000 from central government.

Combined with the forecast police under-spend this year of at least £500,000, this amounts to nearly £1.2 million.

If the precept was increased by 1.99 per cent, that would raise around £1.2 million, but would mean an increase of £4.15 per average household.

Mrs Mulligan said: “I don’t feel it is right to put taxes up when we have that level of under-spend within the organisation whilst we can still receive a top-up from central government.

“However, this decision would mean it is harder in the future to deliver services, and it is probable that police officer numbers will need to be reduced in future years.”

You can also have your say by calling 01423-569562, emailing pcc@northyorkshire-pcc.gov.uk or writing to: Freepost RTCL-AGAE-TRTS, Police and Crime Commissioner for North Yorkshire, 12 Granby Road, Harrogate, HG1 4ST.

For more information and to complete the survey online visit: www.northyorkshire-pcc.gov.uk/news/police-precept-your-view-is-important/