A North East police force is facing major cuts of more than £11m – and the budget nightmare will get even worse unless households help foot its spiralling bills, taxpayers have been warned.
Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Kim McGuinness has unveiled plans for a 9.75% hike in the precept she puts on council tax bills in Tyne and Wear and Northumberland. The Labour PCC said that her force would have to make £15.8m worth of savings in 2023/24 without the increase – but will still need to cut £11.7m regardless due to “spiralling inflation and rising cost pressures”.
The rise would equate to between 83p and £2.50 per month depending on households’ council tax band, with most in the region being in the lowest-paying Band A category. Ms McGuinness, who had planned to up the precept by 6.5% in previous proposals announced just six weeks ago, also confirmed plans for a restructure to deploy 134 extra officers to neighbourhood policing – but said Northumbria Police must make “substantial changes” elsewhere to balance the books.
