Members of North Yorkshire Police Authority have set the budget for the county's force at £122.89 million for the next financial year, covering 2006/2007.

The budget decision has the effect of raising the police element of the council tax by 2.27%. A typical band D property will now pay £180 per year in police precept, an increase of £4 per year, or 8p per week, on last year's levels.

Since 2003, Council tax payers have seen increases of 76% and 10% in their police precept and Harrogate MP Phil Willis says it is "nothing less than a scandal" to pass the 2.27% increase when the Authority is "awash with money".

Police Authority Chairman, Jane Kenyon said; "It is imperative that we allow the Chief Constable to maintain the current momentum and performance of North Yorkshire Police. This below inflation rate increase in the precept will do this as well as allow scope for some further improvements within the service".

Adding; "These improvements will include adding an extra 60 Police Community Support Officers to our existing 75 and enhancing support for victims and vulnerable witnesses whilst at the same time developing neighbourhood policing to provide a police service based on what our communities in North Yorkshire have told us they want".

The possible merger of Yorkshire's police forces - including the North Yorkshire force - to create a "strategic" regional 'super force' leaves policing structures unclear and the cost of any merger even less certain.

In a recent open letter, Chief Constable Della Cannings hit out at media reports over the potential cost of any merger, saying; "A good example of an issue that has received potentially misleading coverage is the gloomy speculation concerning the potential costs of a new Headquarters building for a regional force (alarmingly estimated in terms of a nine figure sum !). Such speculation is based upon what can only be described as an outdated belief that amalgamated force structures will merely be bigger versions of that which already exists".

Jane Kenyon went on to say she recognises the fact that uncertainty over the merger leaves possible funding structures uncertain, given the Home Secretary's wish to move to strategic forces, but added; "We can be certain of one thing. That is that NYPA wants to ensure that, whomsoever runs policing in the future, this area has sufficient financial stability to be able to provide good quality policing".

She continued; "We have been working hard to provide a locally accountable service that is visible and accessible to all and we are proud of how far we have come in a short space of time. We know that a large part of this success is down to the continued support of our residents".

Can the Police Authority be assured of support from residents in increasing Council tax bills even further whilst sitting on a large budget surplus?

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