Archived decisions

COUNCIL MEETING

23 FEBRUARY, 2005

REPORT OF THE

HAMPSHIRE POLICE AUTHORITY

243. COUNCIL TAX PRECEPT 2005/06

1. The Authority has considered in detail its budgetary options for 2005/06. This followed intensive discussions by the Authority with the Constabulary and consultation meetings held with representatives of the residents' associations and the business groups.

2. Net expenditure on police services is estimated to be £272.9m in 2005/06, an increase of £11.4m (or 4.4%) over that for the current year.

3. General Government grants have increased by 3.75% and amount to £197.7m in 2005/06.

4. The amount required to be raised by the Council Tax precept in 2005/06 is £75m, an increase of £4.1m. This results in a Council Tax Band D of £113.76 per annum, one of the lowest for police authorities. This is an increase of 10p per week (£5.40 a year, or 5% more than the current Council Tax). This follows the detailed discussions outlined in paragraph 1 above together with intense consideration by the Authority's Financial Affairs Panel, the Constabulary's Resource Management Board, a Budget Advisory Forum attended by the Constabulary's senior management and members of the Authority, separate scrutiny meetings involving the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Authority, the Chairman of the Financial Affairs Panel and the Chairman of the Performance Panel, which resulted in the reduction of the current policies budget (5.1% budget increase and 7.8.% Council Tax increase) to the lower proposal considered by the Authority at its meeting on 15 February.