More police authorities have announced inflation-busting precepts, despite the ever-present threat of capping. Last week, The MJ reported a series of police authorities, including Leicestershire, had set precepts above 5%, and this week, Norfolk Police Authority agreed a rise of 8.3%. Hampshire Police Authority agreed a rise of 8.1%, which means an extra 20p a week for an average Band D home. Hampshire's chief constable, Paul Kernaghan, said the increase was ‘the minimum level of funding needed to maintain current levels of policing'. Said Hampshire Police Authority chair, Cllr Jacqui Rayment: ‘No chair of a police authority wants to be in a position of raising the police part of the council tax above the rate of inflation. ‘However, with the government funding settlement leaving us £2.6m short – and despite some £60m savings we've made in the last seven years – a rise of 8.1% is needed just so we can stand still.' Hertfordshire Police Authority has set an increase of 4.99%, and West Mercia Police Authority unanimously agreed a 4.94% rise.
