HOUSEHOLDS in Basildon are expected to be asked to pay around an extra £10 a year for policing in the borough.

That's the likely outcome of a request by Essex Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Roger Hirst who today (Thursday, 28 January) announced his budget for the coming financial year.

Mr Hirst says he needs to raise the precept Essex Police take via council tax by around £10 to ensure the force is able to help "build back when this pandemic is over".

He says he plans to authorise the recruitment of an additional 184 police officers in 2021/22 – paid in part through a council tax increase. Of the new posts 132 are to be paid for by central government.

To fund the remaining 52 he says it will be necessary to increase the policing element of the council tax by 4.98 per cent, equivalent to £9.90 a year for a typical band D property across the county.

The new average band D precept residents will be asked to pay for goes up from £198 to £208, raising an extra £6.4 million.

However, Essex Fire and Rescue Service's precept is staying the same – £73.89 for a band D household.

Mr Hirst said: "This a very difficult decision this year. I have been through the budgets for both services with the chief officers and am convinced that this extra investment is required to get the result we want. We have also continued to improve the efficiency of both services and the Essex Police budget alone includes £3.5m additional efficiency savings that will be reinvested in the frontline.

"We are in the middle of a programme of bolstering Essex Police and we know what we need to do.

"So far the programme has been a success as we do it stage by stage. We needed to start bringing crime down before the pandemic hit. It's working.

"But we know we have a lot more to do – particularly around knife driven violence, serious drug violence and domestic abuse and this is where the investments are going to go.

"Equally, at the same, we have the issue of the consequences of the pandemic which of course, economically is really tough.

"I think the thing which really needs emphasis is the emergency services – policing in particular has a role to play in helping us build back when this pandemic is over.

"At the end of March 2022, Essex Police plans to have an officer establishment of 3,553 officers. This will mean that Essex Police will have grown by 703 police officers since May 2016."

Essex Police could have imposed as much as a £15 increase on a band D property.

Mr Hirst added: "We know that during this lockdown crime has changed shape – shoplifting and pub brawls haven't been happening because those places have been closed. But there is a lot going on in terms of abuse.

"There are a lot of kids who rely on schools for their support and who have not been getting it. We need to be out there for our youth services supporting them.

"I don't think we have a choice to back off – we just need to shape it and make sure there is focus where there needs to be focus.

"As we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic it is more vital than ever that we continue to support our emergency services. It is this investment that will continue to push back crime and creates the safe and secure communities that are the bedrock on which communities flourish and businesses grow and prosper. The Police and Fire and Rescue Services are essential to creating the environment we all need and where we can build back better and stronger than ever before."

The budget proposals will be considered by the Essex Police, Fire and Crime Panel which meets on Thursday, 4 February. The full papers for the meeting and budget proposals can be viewed [L]https://cmis.essex.gov.uk/essexcmis5/CalendarofMeetings/tabid/73/ctl/ViewMeetingPublic/mid/410/Meeting/4817/Committee/127/Default.aspx [.L] here. [.L]

Basildon Council has not increased its share of council tax, while Essex County has upped the figure by two per cent – all to meet the increased cost of adult social care.