A report of the Salisbury Area Police/Community Consultative Group meeting at Hindon on 23rd September 2003 prepared by Katharine Lawley and published in the Salisbury Journal of 2nd October, under the headline:

'Likely tax hike to fund police'

   COUNCIL taxpayers in south Wiltshire look likely to face big increases next year if they want to maintain their police services at current levels.
   And if they want to see improvements, the bill could be even higher; leading a parish council chairman to predict civil revolt.
   The warning of a tax hike was given to the Salisbury Area Police/Community Consultative Group meeting in Hindon last week.
   Chairman of the meeting and member of Wiltshire Police Authority, Paul Sample said the authority's budget requirement for 2003/04 had been £83.8 million and with government support grant increasing by only 3.2 per cent from the previous year to £58.6 million it had left £25.2 million to be found by council taxpayers.
   This had resulted in the authority's portion of the council tax going up 19.8 percent for a band D taxpayer to £109.68.
   Mr Sample said pressure on the economy due to the cost of the Iraq conflict and the government's priorities of health and education meant that in the coming year the police would lose out - and the majority of resources made available were likely to be targeted at urban areas.
   "If expenditure increases by five per cent and government support by only two per cent, the divergence could be £3 million, which would mean a 12 per cent increase in the police authority portion of the council tax next year", he said.
   He said this year's 19.8 per cent increase had provided additional police officers, paid for new technology and extended the civilianisation programme, saving thousands of hours of police officers' time.
   "It's not enough and it's never enough, but hopefully it will reduce crime and improve community safety", he said.
   "A 12 per cent increase gives me no great pleasure".
   Whiteparish parish councillor John Le Quesne, in a letter to the group, said the proposed hike seemed high, especially for those on pensions and in public housing.
   "Sadly they are often the most vulnerable and in greatest need of police support", he wrote.
   He called for local MPs, the media and councils to put pressure on the government to increase funding, and for a review of the funding formula.
   Chairman of Mere parish council Michael Lake said the meeting was discussing only the police budget - there could be similar increases for county, district and parish councils.
   "There would be civil revolt, which will cost the police department more money", he said.
   District councillor for the Knoyles, Tom Couper, suggested pegging the increase back to 11 or ten per cent by restricting new equipment. But police divisional commander Chief Supt Jerry Wickham said 85 per cent of the police's costs were staff and 15 per cent vehicles, buildings and equipment, so any cutback on the latter would have a negligible effect.
   He warned against cutting back on vehicles, saying it was not desirable to have a vehicle breakdown on the way to an accident.
   Mr Sample pointed out salary increases could not be reduced, as wage settlements were nationally negotiated.

Ideas to avoid an increase

   SEVERAL suggestions were put forward to avoid a huge increase in the police authority portion of the council tax.
   Richard Parsons, who acts as clerk to a number of parish councils, said that some local authorities were looking to raise money for services through income tax.
   Chairman Paul Sample, who is also a Liberal Democrat county and district councillor, said Liberal Democrats favoured a system of local income tax.
   Chris Devine, district councillor for Winterslow, floated ideas including "axing the traffic department, transfering the helicopter to the health service and clearing people out of headquarters".
   He said there should be an 'economy board' to look at ways of saving money.
   Mr Sample pointed out that the force was required by the government to make two per cent savings year on year. Chief Supt Jerry Wickham added that for the last six years, the force had been able to make those savings.
   Coombe Bissett parish councillor Derrick Rattue suggested increasing the number of special constables, who are unpaid.
   Mr Sample said he was "all in favour of recruiting more specials", but added: "We have a professional police service and we would get into a sticky situation if we relied on a volunteer force".
   Fovant parish councillor Nigel Knowles said: "We are at a point where we cannot continue to increase the council tax."
   "The only option is to bite the bullet and cut back office staff."
   Mere parish council chairman Michael Lake said it was time to say to the government "we will not achieve your targets".
   Paul Sample asked for people to indicate whether they favoured a two per cent (inflation) increase; a five per cent increase that would mean some cuts, the 12 per cent (stand still) increase or a 17 per cent increase, which would enable services to he enhanced.
   A show of hands indicated that no-one favoured 17 per cent, one person five per cent, nine people two per cent and 12 people, 12 per cent. The results would he taken back to the police authority.

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