This Friday is one of the most crucial days in Suffolk’s policing calendar when I once again present the annual budget and financial proposals to the Police and Crime Panel for the next financial year.

The proposal is for a 4.9% increase in the policing portion of your council tax which will raise an additional £3.4 million.

This year, the Home Office core grant increased by only 2.1% but this only applies to 60% of our budget – in Suffolk the council tax funding provides the other 40% of our total funding. 

The core grant increase is well below inflation and please remember all organisations suffer from the effects of inflation including our Constabulary - maintaining a good police service becomes even more challenging financially.

Our annual online council tax survey asking you for your comments regarding the proposals set out above closes tomorrow (Thursday 9am) and I hope you will take the opportunity to spare five minutes and complete the survey.

Your views are really important, and I promise they are fully taken into account before the final decision is made.

After all, listening to your views and acting on them is a fundamental part of my role.

Some of the issues facing Suffolk Police next year are highlighted in the Police and Crime Panel papers,  available via a link on the county council’s website. 

The continuing failure of the Home Office to publish their draft revisions to the unfair police funding formula makes me very angry and discriminates against Suffolk.

That is a major reason why I feel forced to ask you to pay more towards policing in our county.

The good news is police officer numbers in Suffolk will stand at 1425 at the end of March – more than has ever been recorded partly because of the extra council tax everyone has paid recently and because of the government’s very successful police uplift programme.

These extra officers have been fully-funded and the money ring-fenced until 2025 if those numbers are maintained.

In addition, last year’s precept investment in the control room where an additional 27 call handlers have been recruited is now complete.

Performance is improving significantly. Current investment plans for the new digital communications facility and rapid video response technologies are almost complete too. 

Maintaining a good service costs money and keeping crime levels low in Suffolk is crucial for all of us so I have little option but to ask you all to pay a few pence extra per week. It cannot be in the county’s interest to make cutbacks in our policing capabilities.

Cost-of-living increases are very challenging for many households especially those on lower incomes. I know any increase in taxation are unwelcome. I am doing everything possible to make sure the force spends your hard-earned money as efficiently and effectively as possible.

Once again there have been some very tough discussions between the Constabulary and my team prior to finalising  the  budget recommendations.

That said, any organisation should always look for and deliver greater efficiency and increased value for y - Suffolk Constabulary is no exception. During the next financial year there is a large set of savings already programmed.

The combined total savings to be delivered next year across all departments to help achieve a balanced budget are worth more than £1.3million.

We need to maximise the capabilities of police officers which is why the new county policing model was launched last month.

This will provide better engagement with the public and visibility – all of this is a direct result of what you have said is needed in Suffolk to help keep crime down and increase trust and confidence in local policing.

Your extra council tax money will help develop this exciting new approach

The council tax money will therefore help minimise warranted police officers doing civilian work.

That would not be a good use of taxpayers’ money and compromise the fight against crime. We must work together and do the best for Suffolk!

I hope that all members of the panel will set aside any political differences and support the proposal and deliver what is best for all of us in Suffolk.

The continuing failure of the Home Office to publish their draft revisions to the unfair police funding formula makes me very angry and discriminates against Suffolk.

That is a major reason why I feel forced to ask you to pay more towards policing in our county.