Setting the Police Budget

One of the Cheshire Police and Crime Commissioner’s (PCC) key jobs is to set the police budget for Cheshire. This means deciding how much money the police will have each year and working out the police precept – the part of the local council tax that helps pay for policing.

What the budget covers

The budget pays for the everyday running of Cheshire Constabulary. This includes things like:

• Officers and staff
• Emergency response and neighbourhood policing
• Equipment, buildings and vehicles
• Crime prevention programmes
• Supporting victims and community safety work

The PCC also reviews government funding and other income to make sure there’s enough money to maintain an effective police service.

Budget documents you can see

To help you understand how the budget is put together, the PCC publishes:

• The budget book – which shows details of planned spending for the current financial year.
• The budget decision report – explains the key decisions made when setting the budget.
• Historical budget reports – the last five years’ budget books and reports.
• Council tax leaflets (police precept) – clear, easy to read guide explaining how the precept affects council tax bills for the county.

These documents are published so you can see where money comes from and how it’s spent.

Police Precept (Council Tax)

Each year the PCC sets the police precept – the portion of your council tax that goes towards policing. This is one of the main ways policing is locally funded.

Before setting this figure, the PCC:

• Asks the public for their views through surveys and consultations.
• Considers the cost pressures the police face, such as inflation and rising demand.
• Balances the need for adequate funding with the impact on household budgets.

Once a proposed precept is set, the Police and Crime Panel reviews it – and either accepts or vetos the proposal  – before if becomes final.

Previous Council tax leaflets

Council Tax leaflets produced by the Cheshire Police and Crime Commissioner’s team from the last five years are available here.

Key budget information

The budget book and decision report give details of the budget for the current financial year.

Previous budget books

The Budget books and decision reports from the last five years are available here.

Why this matters

Setting the police budget is about making sure Cheshire Police has the resources it needs to keep people safe, whilst being open and fair about how public money is used.

• It ensures policing is properly funded.
• It gives you a voice through public consultations.
• It helps the PCC balance community safety with affordability.

You can explore the published budget documents to understand more about how decisions are made and how funds are allocated to support policing and community safety across Cheshire.