THE number of police officer and police community support officer posts committed to neighbourhood policing in Hertfordshire will be protected over the next year.
When Hertfordshire Police Authority met last Thursday to agree the police budget, a decision was also made to freeze its council tax precept, allowing the authority to access an additional �2m from Central Government.
Band D homeowners will pay �2.84 per week towards policing through their council tax.
The police authority must make savings of up to �38.5m over a four-year period. Ways this will be achieved include strategic alliance with Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire police authorities; and changes to the estates strategy, so that buildings are used more efficiently and effectively.
David Lloyd, chairman of the police authority, said: “Achieving the required savings over the coming years is a challenge, but one that the police authority is well placed to manage.
“The authority and the chief constable have worked together to ensure every penny is well utilised, enabling us to buck the trend for increases set by other authorities.”
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