Share your views on how your council tax supports local policing

As Police and Crime Commissioner, it is my responsibility to ensure that Thames Valley Police has sufficient resources to effectively prevent and investigate crime, support victims and protect communities. Setting the policing budget remains a complex process of balancing priorities and I am acutely aware of financial pressures households are under.

This year, I will be setting the budget, including determining the policing element of council tax, following central Government funding decisions that are set to affect employers up and down the country. I have already written to Government about reviewing the police funding formula. As a result of Government changes to the rate and threshold of Employers National Insurance Contributions and the police officer pay rise over the summer, tax payers will already see an additional financial pressure of £3.6m due to a shortfall in funding.

This is before the usual pressures of inflation, the need to invest in new technology and respond to changes in crime trends. Regardless, residents rightly expect an exceptional service from their police force and I want to develop greater capacity and capability to further cut crime. I want to ensure that the policing budget can support this, deliver value for money and address the concerns and priorities of our communities.

For the last financial year, the increase in council tax of 25p per week has helped to deliver the following: 

• Recruited an additional 150 police officers across the force, including neighbourhood and Rural Crime Taskforce officers 
• Implemented a Thames Valley-wide programme to help tackle knife crime 
• Continued investment in the forensic improvement programme 
• Investment to help tackle retail crime through the PCC’s Retail Crime Strategy 
• Continued investment in a Thames Valley-wide CCTV partnership 
• Road safety initiatives across Thames Valley, including the recent launch of the Road Safety Strategy 
• Prevention of reoffending through the Restart programme 

The allocation of central government funding for police forces is expected to be received in December. Alongside this, the funding settlement allows Police and Crime Commissioners to increase council tax in order to make additional investments in local policing. Last year, increases of up to £13 (for a Band D property) were permitted.

Final decisions on council tax and the policing budget will be made at the end of January. If you would like to share your views on the policing budget for 2025/26, please complete the survey by 12pm (noon) on Friday 3^rd January 2025.

By sharing your views, you will help shape important decisions about police funding and how Thames Valley Police can continue to work to keep our communities safe.

All information in this survey will be treated as anonymous and may be used within reports or public facing materials. This may include data and quotes within press releases, case studies and other written and digital materials, and for use on social media. 

Recommended browsers for completing the below survey are as follows: Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Microsoft Edge. If you are not able to complete the survey online, or need support in doing so, please contact the Office of the PCC by visiting our Contact Us page. We can send you a paper copy for completion.