Members of Humberside Police Authority decided today not to take the Government’s offer of a one-off grant. In the interests of protecting frontline policing for the public they instead decided to increase the police precept by 3.99% so as to ease budgetary pressure in future years.

This will be the last time the Authority has to make this decision before it is abolished in November 2012 and the Police and Crime Commissioner for Humberside takes over.

Commenting on the decision taken at today’s meeting of the Police Authority the Chair Ros Taylor MBE said: “Ironically at a time when the Authority is preparing to hand over control to a Commissioner it was faced with one of its most difficult decisions.

“Government are clear that they wish Authorities to freeze precepts and in return offered a one-off grant equivalent to a 3% increase in Council tax in 2012/13. When we took the decision we knew it was at a time when everyone is being asked to tighten their belts and therefore going for a freeze might have been an easier and more popular move.

“However, a more detailed look at the figures shows that, had we gone for that, the Authority-and the Commissioner in few months time-would be worse off by around £0.5m in 2012/13 and by more that £2m in later years as the grant is just a one-off.

“Members of the Authority have a duty to protect and preserve policing, particularly front line resources like PCSOs which the public value. This increase creates a legacy from the Authority to the Police

and Crime Commissioner by building the rise into the base budget.

“Without it the Commissioner will find their job much harder to do. At the end of the day we have taken this decision because it is the right thing to do.”

Commenting on the factors that Members considered when reaching their decision Ros Taylor MBE said: “Authority Members weighed up many issues when reaching their decision. As part of

the preparatory work undertaken for the budget the Authority consulted with the public and received a clear message as to how much they valued the work of their local police teams which include PCSOs.

“However, despite continuing hard work by the force, members know that levels of crime per 1,000 residents are still higher than in other areas of the country. With the frontline already cut to the bone there was a pressing need to protect it for local people.

“Had we gone for a freeze, in the next breath we would have asked the Chief Constable to make even more savings on top of those already planned. Undoubtedly that would have led to cuts in front line policing something we have fought hard to protect-and from the public point of view that would have been even more unwelcome than a rise in the precept.”