The Greater Manchester Police and Crime Commissioner is seeking views on his proposal to increase the council tax by 10p a week in 2016/17. The additional revenue raised would be equivalent to 70 police officers.
Government cuts to police funding have hit Greater Manchester Police particularly hard, with the service losing £180 million since 2010. Consequently, there are now are 2,000 fewer police officers on Greater Manchester’s streets. In our city-region, about 80 per cent of the police budget comes from the Government and the rest is from the police element of the council tax.
In order to avoid further cuts to policing, the PCC believes that a rise in council tax of £5 in the coming year for the average Band D property is the only realistic option available.
Comments on the proposals can be made via the link below.
