Exclusive: Merseyside Police Authority fails to set Budget for 2012/2013

At an exciting afternoon meeting of the Merseyside Police Authority councillors and independent members failed to agree a Budget. Although a majority were in favour of a 3% increase in the police element of Council Tax for Merseyside residents amounting to £2.92 extra a year for Band A and £4.39 extra a year for Band D, … Continue reading “Exclusive: Merseyside Police Authority fails to set Budget for 2012/2013”

At an exciting afternoon meeting of the Merseyside Police Authority councillors and independent members failed to agree a Budget. Although a majority were in favour of a 3% increase in the police element of Council Tax for Merseyside residents amounting to £2.92 extra a year for Band A and £4.39 extra a year for Band D, a majority of councillors were not.

As such the Budget could not be agreed and the Merseyside Police Authority members will be asking the public before they decide which of two options they go for. The two options are:-

Option 1) Accept a Council Tax Freeze grant from the government. Council Tax precepts for Merseyside residents would stay at last year’s level.

Option 2) Refuse a Council Tax Freeze grant and increase the police element of the Council Tax for Merseyside residents by 3%. This would be an increase of £2.92 (a year) for Band A or £4.39 (a year) for Band D.

As the Council Tax Freeze grant is one-off, if opted for by the Police Authority it will lead to greater savings having to be found next year by whoever is elected as Police Commissioner.

As the Merseyside Police Authority failed to agree a Budget the meeting was adjourned.  You can vote below in our poll and the papers and reports for the meeting used to be able to be found on Merseyside Police Authority’s website, but since it was abolished in November 2012 and replaced with the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner they’re no longer available.

Oh and for further information you can read this BBC News article on it.

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Author: John Brace

New media journalist from Birkenhead, England who writes about Wirral Council. Published and promoted by John Brace, 134 Boundary Road, Bidston, CH43 7PH. Printed by UK Webhosting Ltd t/a Tsohost, 113-114 Buckingham Avenue, Slough, Berkshire, England, SL1 4PF.