Suffolk Council Tax Police Freeze

Suffolk Police Authority have confirmed they are freezing what we pay for them out of council tax at last years levels.

As money is tight for everyone police have a agreed to not raise council tax, which will contributes to just over a quarter of their overall budget.

That means they are facing a cut in funding of approximately 14% over the next four years, so they'll need to save around £13.5 million during that time.

But the cuts means the police have reduce their officer numbers by around 300.

Chairman of Suffolk Police Authority, Colin Spence said: “We are proud of the fact that the cost to police Suffolk is the second lowest in the country, and we will continue to work to keep this cost as low as possible for our householders, whilst ensuring a high level of service.  We recognise that this will not be easy as we face significant reductions in government funding over the next four years.

“Our challenge now is to ensure that our reduced resources are used in the most effective manner to ensure that our communities remain safe and that we have the correct staffing and skills to meet the demands placed upon us."

Chief Constable Simon Ash said: “The policing service is facing a period of unprecedented change as it adapts to work within a drastically reduced budget.

“In Suffolk, we are doing all we can to re-design the way in which we deliver our services to achieve these savings.  Our priority is to continue to provide the high quality policing our communities expect, with a workforce that will be reduced by around 300 people over the next four years, and with significantly fewer resources."