4:45pm Wednesday 3rd March 2010
Dear Editor
Council tax comprises of three elements; county council, local precept and police.
Based on a Band E property in Milford Haven, in the ten years since 2000 council tax has increased as follows – county council element up 33.3% and the Milford Haven precept up 17.5%. However, the element payable to Dyfed-Powys police has risen by 103.4%.
Chief Constable Ian Arundale states that the 4.46% rise proposed for 2010/2011 ‘will allow the force to have the right people in the right place at the right time’.
This statement might be true if criminal activity only occurred, and local accessibility to the police is only required, between 10am and 6pm Monday to Friday. Limiting the number of hours that police stations are open can hardly be described as ‘maintaining improvements to frontline services’.
It is questionable whether above-inflation rate rises are justifiable when actual police accessibility and presence appear to be diminishing.
Peter Sharpe
17 Gorswood Drive,
Hakin,
Milford Haven.
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