More time to give #yourviews on paying for policing
PEOPLE are being given more time to take part in a survey being run by Roger Hirst, the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex.
Mr Hirst wants to know if people would be willing to pay more Council Tax to increase levels of policing in Essex. The online survey, available here http://surveys.essexinsight.org.uk/policeprecept was due to end on Sunday evening but now the date for responses has been extended until midnight on Thursday, November 23.
Mr Hirst said: “There has been a great response to the survey so far with more than 3,000 people giving their views. I have been asked to extend the date so more people can fill the survey in so we are meeting that request.”
Essex residents are being asked to fill in an online survey so Mr Hirst can gauge the public’s view on whether or not they would be happy to pay more, so more resources can be invested in policing across the county.
Funding for Essex Police comes from two sources – central Government and local Council Tax.
Taking these two funding sources into account, Essex Police receives the lowest funding per resident of any police force in the country and has the sixth lowest council tax for policing.
Mr Hirst said: “I want us to provide the best service possible for the people of Essex and increasing investment will help us deliver this. We cannot count on any increase in central Government funding for this year but I am lobbying hard for that, and for the freedom to raise the police precept. Before we make any decisions around increased investment I want to know residents’ views and what they would like to see.”
He added: “At every public meeting I attend I hear that the residents want more police on the streets and whilst both Essex Police and I are doing everything we can to make that happen, we need more money or resources to deliver it in the way we would want. The demand on the police service is rising. New crime types are emerging and existing crime is rising in its complexity, this is against a backdrop of an unprecedented shift in the national security environment. My question to the public is this – are they prepared to pay more for those extra resources?”
People can fill in the survey online via this link http://surveys.essexinsight.org.uk/policeprecept
They can also find out more about the survey by searching for #yourviews on social media. The survey has been live since Monday, November 6 and will now close at midnight on Thursday, November 23.
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