Please see his mesage below.

Police and Crime Commissioners are responsible for setting the police precept which is the amount that local council taxpayers contribute towards the cost of policing.

The increases I am putting forward for 2023-24 are*:

• 5% (£1.21 per month)
• 7.5% (£1.81 per month)
• 9.9% (£2.38 per month)
• 12.5% (£3.02 per month)
• There is also an option to vote for ‘none of the above’

Deciding on the precept level is always a challenging process but this year sees unprecedented challenges given the severe financial landscape.

Inflation, rapidly rising costs and uncertainty about how much money forces will receive from the Government for the next financial year through the Police Grant Settlements, has put policing in an incredibly difficult position.

There are also additional pressures arising from both the increase in volume and complexity of crime, which we must take into consideration as we look to the future.

Despite careful financial planning by the force, we will have to make increasingly difficult decisions over the next few years, but my priority is to ensure we can continue to run an efficient and effective Police force to continue to keep our communities safe.

You can read more about this here.

It is a very challenging year, but it is very important for me to hear people's views, therefore I am urging our residents and businesses to have their say through this consultation.

• The survey will remain open until 8 January 2023, and can be accessed here.