The Government has announced budget cuts to Police Authorities across the UK which will mean £900K to Dyfed-Powys.
The cuts are part of the UK Government's plans to cut the huge budget deficit.
I have noticed that in recent years that the Dyfed-Powys Police Council Tax precept has gone up, quite considerably, with no questions asked, as each Police Authority is basically a quango, with no directly elected representatives to it.
This year, the Band D rate went up from £173.70 in 2009/10) to £181.44. A 4.46% increase.
I am somewhat surprised that they are not happy with the cut, yet we have no control over how much they increase the Council Tax precept.
The police have to face the cuts as much as any other area of public expenditure. We are advised that crime figures continue to fall in Pembrokeshire and that we live in one of the safest places in the UK. Yes, we are incredibly lucky to live where we do and crime levels are low in comparison and the types of crime are not as serious as you get in some of the worst places.
The Police Authority needs to remember that its the public who pay for the Police through their Council Tax and yet its us that have funded its above inflationary budgets, over the years, and yet we dont elect any of the members to the Authority.
Years ago, the cry was "no taxation without representation". A £900K budget cut seems rather modest from a budget of over £90m (excluding capital expenditure), in the current financial climate.
The Government is having to make cuts and the people of the UK have been having to make cuts for the last couple of years. No doubt, as the Government has to find much more in the way of savings, this is just the start of bad times ahead for all of us - Government, the Police and us as individuals.
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