Taxpayers paying more than ever to fund policing in Nottinghamshire

The Police Federation of England and Wales said police cannot reach “proactive and consensual” standards without the Government ensuring sufficient resources are provided.

Home Office figures show £89.4 million in funding for Nottinghamshire Police will come from council tax bills in 2023-24 – a real-terms rise of £4.04m, 5 per cent, from the £85.4m paid in 2022-23, and the highest figure since local, comparable records began in 2015-16.

Caroline Henry, Nottinghamshire police and crime commissioner, put up Nottinghamshire Police’s share of council tax 5.9 per cent for 2023-24, meaning for a band D property it has risen from £254.25 to £269.19, just six pence below the £15 maximum she was allowed.

In total, Nottinghamshire will receive £260m next year, up from £258m the year before. The Government will supply the additional £171m.

Across England and Wales, total funding has risen in real terms from £15 billion last year to a record £15.4bn in 2023-24. Of this, £10.1bn will come from central government, while £5.3bn will be provided through council tax.

The National Police Chiefs' Council said the recent increase in investment has enabled them to recruit an extra 20,000 police officers and tackle “the most pressing concerns for our communities, such as burglary and serious violence”.

However, a spokesman warned “policing faces significant inflationary pressure due to the increased costs of supplies and services”.

Steve Hartshorn, federation chairman, said: “Our forces are struggling due to the scarcity of sustained long-term funding. They simply cannot plan ahead in these circumstances.”

He said the increase in council tax precept is concerning as it means taxpayers will pay more for the same police service. He also warned it could lead to a postcode lottery, with wealthier areas better able to allocate more resources and put more officers on the streets.

The Home Office said it is “dedicated to giving the police the resources they need to tackle crime”, with a spokesman saying: “Total funding for policing is up to £17.6bn in 2023-24, an increase of up to £556m compared with the previous year and there are now more police officers in England and Wales than ever before.”