The transformation of key service delivery within Wiltshire Police is set to continue into the next financial year after Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Philip Wilkinson’s budget was given the green light yesterday (Wednesday).
The county’s cross-party Police and Crime Panel, which holds the PCC to account, unanimously backed the budget for 2025/26 to enable the force to maintain quality and efficient policing services while tackling its financial challenges.
This support will raise police element of council tax by 5.2% - £14 per year, per household, increase for a Band D property. Lower bandings will pay less and higher bandings will pay more. The money raised from the precept sits alongside the core funding from Government and makes up the entire policing budget for Wiltshire.
Mr Wilkinson said: “I thank the panel for setting aside any political differences and giving approval to a budget which is desperately needed to continue making Wiltshire a safer place for people to live, work and visit.
“Wiltshire Police still needs to make £6.8m savings and I am asking the Chief Constable to do ever more with less funding. In fact, I am asking her to improve the policing service in Wiltshire, asking them to be more visible and effective with less than the majority of Chief Constables across the country.
“The truth is Wiltshire Police is delivering - there have been increased outcome rates, crime is decreasing in some crime types year on year, and communities are seeing more visible policing. Our contact centre is improving 999 and 101 response times, but all of this comes at a cost and that is why I have had to ask for the maximum increase.
“Of course, the financial challenges faced means there will be some tough decisions along the way but not at the cost of frontline policing or the service received. The Chief Constable and I have made a commitment to protect police officer numbers and police stations and estate which have public access.
“But the Chief and I know there is much more to do to make people feel safe and we will not stop ensuring Wiltshire Police is on that improvement journey and leads the way as one of the most effective and efficient forces.”
The approved budget comes just days after a government announcement to release an additional £100m, on top of a promised £100m, to be invested in neighbourhood policing – outside of core funding.
Mr Wilkinson said his team, and Wiltshire Police, are still looking at what this means for the county as guidance currently states funding – as much as £1.6m - is ringfenced for additional neighbourhood policing and not to help deliver business as usual.
The PCC cautioned against thinking this was going to change the financial reality for Wiltshire Police’s budget over the medium term.
Mr Wilkinson added: “While additional investment in neighbourhood policing is welcome, this money cannot be used for ‘business as usual’. In reality it does not have a material effect on our budget or the need for Wiltshire Police to save £6.8m in the next financial year.
“Unfortunately, we appear to find ourselves in the position where the additional funding is the ‘icing on the cake’ without the government giving police Forces the core ingredients and funding they need to deliver the basics.
“But I look forward to receiving more detail about this in due course and bringing the additional money into Wiltshire if we can. We cannot put Wiltshire Police in the position where it recruits, equips and trains additional neighbourhood officers if we cannot fund them in future years due to the existing funding formula.”
