Have your say on future funding for Essex Police and Essex County Fire and Rescue Service
Posted 31st October 2023
The Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (PFCC) for Essex is asking county residents for their policing and community safety priorities to identify public appetite for investing more in Essex Police and Essex Fire and Rescue Service.
To hear those views, residents of all ages, in all Essex districts, are asked to complete the PFCC Precept survey for the financial year 2024/25.
You can complete the survey here: https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/MVKC3H/
The survey seeks to identify appetites for investing more in Essex Police and Essex Fire and Rescue Service, understanding what you feel would be a reasonable level of additional investment and how you would like to see any extra investment spent.
Your views will then feed into the Essex Police and Essex County Fire and Rescue funding process for the financial year 2024/25.
Roger Hirst, Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, said: “Crime is down 6.7 per cent. Anti-social behaviour is down 35.2 per cent. Essex Police is the largest it has ever been.
“We want to do more, we don’t want to stand still. We want to bring crime down further, reduce the number of fires in Essex and bring down the number of people killed on county roads. I need to know your appetite for investing more in our emergency services to achieve these aims.
“My role as the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner in Essex (PFCC) is to be the voice of the people, setting strategy and budgets for Essex Police and Essex Fire and Rescue Service, ensuring efficiency and effectiveness in both services.
“I urge all Essex residents of all ages to complete this survey, it helps me, along with the Chief Constable and Chief Fire Officer, put together my proposal for funding in 2024/25.”
The most recent CPI measure of inflation is 6.7 per cent. Essex Police and Essex Fire and Rescue Service are not immune to inflation pressures.
For a band D property, a 6.7 per cent increase in the Essex Police precept would be £15.64p a year, approximately 30p a week.
Again, for a Band D property, a 6.7 per cent increase in the Essex Fire and Rescue Service precept would be £5.38p a year, approximately 11p a week.
The survey will start on Tuesday 31st October 2023 and run for three weeks until Tuesday 21st November 2023. It is possible the survey may be extended until Tuesday 28th November.
Results will be analysed to help inform discussions at the Police, Fire and Crime Panel pre-budget meeting on Thursday, 7th December 2023.