In addition to the regular newsletter, I wanted to send you a separate note to ask for your comments on my budget plans I have proposed for the coming year.
I promised the communities of West Mercia that I would make sure policing budgets were spent as wisely and efficiently as possible, before I ever asked our communities to pay any more. With that in mind, I am proposing a freeze in the policing element of council tax for the coming financial year. I believe taxpayer’s money must be better utilised and that greater efficiencies must be achieved before asking for any more.
I also promised I would invest in, modernise and reform our policing service. My budget proposals for 2017/18 represent an increase of £4.5m to help ensure that promise is kept. This money would be put towards reforming the organisation to make it financially sustainable and ensure it can meet the challenges of keeping the communities of West Mercia safe today and into the next decade.
|