Members of the Dyfed Powys Police and Crime Panel have supported the Commissioner’s proposed precept increase of 7.75%.
During the panel’s first meeting in 2023, held on Friday January 27, members discussed the precept and scrutinised Police and Crime Commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn’s budget plans for the coming year.
The panel is made up of members nominated by the four councils, in the force area, plus two independent members and has the power to approve or veto the proposed police precept.
Local policing is funded by a Home Office grant, as well as contributions from the public via the Council Tax, known as the police precept.
The precept accounts for approximately 50% of the total revenue available to the Commissioner. Combined with Home Office and Welsh Government funding this will provide the police budget for 2023/24.
Most of the budget is spent on staffing costs, predominantly those of warranted police officers, of which Dyfed Powys Police currently has a force of over 1,300 such officers. The force is projected to generate an underspend of approximately £800,000 against its planned budget for 2022/2023, due to efficiency measures already being implemented.
Whilst Dyfed Powys Police is affected by the same inflationary pressures as every other sector of society, it is particularly affected by increases in fuel costs and nationally agreed pay awards.
In scrutinising the Police and Crime Commissioner’s budget plans for the coming year, the Panel noted several factors that represents value for money from the precept, which include maintaining the historically high levels of warranted officers employed by the force; overall public satisfaction with the Dyfed Powys Police is high and that overall crime levels are low.
The current precept level in Dyfed-Powys remains the lowest in Wales.
Thanking the Commissioner and his Chief Financial Officer for their openness and transparency in their presentation, the Chair of the Dyfed Powys Police and Crime Panel, Professor Ian Roffe, said:
“Everybody is experiencing the effects of the current economic environment, including the police service. After constructive discussions between the Panel and the Police Commissioner, the Panel supports the 7.75% precept proposed by the Commissioner. This should allow sufficient resources for the Chief Constable to maintain an efficient and effective police force in Dyfed-Powys.”
The meetings are open to the press and public, and with the prior permission of the chair, people can ask questions or make a statement in relation to a matter being considered by the panel, with the exception of personnel matters.
Visit www.dppoliceandcrimepanel.wales for more information about the Panel, its membership, forthcoming meeting dates, agendas and webcasting links, as well as submitting questions for the Panel to put to the Commissioner.
