Commissioner seeks higher precepts 'to avoid cuts to frontline police and fire services' in Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire households are being asked to pay more towards policing and fire services under proposals unveiled by police, fire and crime commissioner Danielle Stone.
The commissioner is seeking an increase of £12 a year in the fire precept for a Band D household – well above the Government’s suggested level of £5 – to help balance the budget for Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service and avoid cuts to frontline services.
Ms Stone said the Service is one of the lowest funded in the country and relies heavily on council tax, which makes up more than 60 per cent of its income. Less than 20 per cent comes from central government.
Despite identifying £2.3 million of savings over the past year, a £5 increase would still leave a £1.6 million funding gap, she said. An increase of £12 would balance the budget without reducing firefighter numbers or frontline services.
“I would prefer not to have to ask the public to pay more but Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service simply does not receive enough funding,” Ms Stone said. “After years of effort to stabilise the financial position, the financial challenges are so significant that I believe I have no choice.”
She added that ageing buildings, fleet and equipment were being replaced to reduce maintenance costs and improve efficiency, alongside further savings driven by the Service’s Community Risk Management Plan.
At the same time, Ms Stone is proposing a £15-a-year increase in the police precept, the maximum allowed nationally. This would mean a Band D household paying £335.04 a year towards policing in 2026/27 – an increase of 4.69 per cent, or about 29p a week.
She said the rise was needed to maintain police officer and PCSO numbers and protect services.
“I understand the financial pressure every household is under,” she said. “I have to ask for this increase so police officer and PCSO numbers can be maintained and the Force can deliver on people’s priorities.”
Even with the increase, the chief constable will still need to find savings of more than £4 million, she said. Ms Stone warned that an outdated national funding formula fails to reflect Northamptonshire’s rising population and increasingly complex crime.
Both the policing and fire precept proposals will be considered by the Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel on February 4.