Share your views
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. Policing is operating in a challenging economic environment and I am also acutely aware of financial pressures households continue to face.
I expect to receive Thames Valley Police’s funding allocation from central Government in December which will assume an increase in Council Tax as well as police forces making efficiency improvements.
Thames Valley Police continues to make productivity and efficiency improvements to balance the policing budget with an additional £15m of savings this year, and further savings planned for future years. Despite these financial pressures, the force is delivering 68 additional neighbourhood officers this year which is on top of the increase of 150 over the previous two years.
Residents rightly expect an exceptional service from their police force and my role is to ensure that through good financial choices next year’s policing budget can deliver this, address local concerns and priorities and achieve value for money for taxpayers.
By sharing your views, I can better understand the policing priorities of residents in keeping communities safe.
Despite the Government announcing that they intend to abolish the PCC role, the transition to a new model is not due to take place before 2028. It currently remains therefore the PCC’s statutory duty to set the policing budget and to engage residents on how their precept is spent.
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 £14 (for a Band D property) were permitted.
If you would like to share your views on the policing budget for 2026/27, please complete the survey by 12pm (noon) on Friday 2 January 2026.
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.
If you have chosen to provide contact details, then they will only be taken for the reasons specified within the survey and will not be used for any other purpose. By submitting this form, any personal details will be passed to the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) for Thames Valley.
Please follow the link to view our Privacy Notice if you want to find out more about how your data is used. You can withdraw your consent for the OPCC to hold your details at any point by contacting us at opcc.comms@thamesvalley.police.uk.
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