Police Commissioner Kim McGuinness is proposing a slight increase in the police precept with the average household set to pay 57p a month more in order to fund new police posts.
The Northumbria Police Commissioner said a 4.99% increase in the policing share of local council tax bills will be invested directly in to the force – with 60 new detectives hired as a result.
The funding plans, to be signed off on Tuesday (February 2), will see bills for a Band A property increase by 38p a month and will raise £2.7m for the police. Government rules this year mean the maximum the Northumbria police precept could have increased by is 10.95%, an increase the Police Commissioner said would be too high given the ongoing financial difficulty many households face.
In two surveys asking for views on how to fund local policing, the majority of people who took part said they would be happy to support some additional investment in their police force.
Police and Crime Commissioner Kim McGuinness said the increase will be used to support a new Police and Crime Plan designed around fighting crime, preventing crime and improving lives.
That plan, to be published later this month, sets the priorities for Northumbria Police for the next four years will include a new focus on tackling serious organised crime at every level.
Ms McGuinness said: “The coronavirus pandemic has drastically changed society, but while we respond to that and work together to get through this, it’s important we are also planning for the future.
“When I asked people what they need from Northumbria Police, they made clear they want a force that is backed to keep us all safe. So I’m today supporting those aims with a funding plan for the biggest targeted recruitment of police investigators in the force’s history.
“Like you, I want a police force that is equipped to get on with the job of targeting and disrupting organised crime, as well as bringing to justice others who break the law.”
The new investigators set to be hired as a result of the increase will be in addition to the more than 300 new officers brought in as part of a record breaking recruitment campaign currently underway at Northumbria Police.
Government recruitment targets allocated to Northumbria Police to date total 366 officers, with 185 being delivered by March 2021 and a further target of 181 by March 2022.
The budget provided by the Commissioner for 2021/22 will include recruitment plans to also replace more than 200 retiring and departing officers in addition to delivery of the Uplift targets set by Government.
In addition, in order to address the increase in demand and complexity of investigations, the Council Tax precept increase proposed by the Commissioner will be used to deliver a further 60 police officer investigator posts in 2021/22, over and above existing recruitment plans and the Uplift target set by government.
Ms McGuiness said: “Government austerity has seen 1,100 police officers lost to the force as a result of cuts worth £140m. The Government said it wants to reverse that austerity, but it is going nowhere near far enough. That’s why I’m working with the chief constable to get more officers in to Northumbria Police and keeping the focus on fighting crime, preventing crime and improving lives.
The proposals are set to be discussed at a meeting of the Police and Crime Panel on February 2nd, where the new Police and Crime Plan will also be presented.
ENDS

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LATEST figures from Northumbria Police reveal that assaults on officers were up 38 per cent between April and December 2020 compared to the same period the previous year and assaults using spitting or relating to COVID  have accounted for 29 per cent of those recorded.

These numbers are a stark reminder of the extra risk our police and other key workers face every day, says Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Kim McGuinness as she repeats calls to the Government to announce plans for the police’s place on the priority list.

Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Kim McGuinness, said:

“You can’t argue with these numbers – they show exactly what our police and other emergency workers are being exposed to. I’m talking about really disgusting behaviour where they are fought with, spat at, coughed at and basically being threatened with the virus. For these workers social distancing isn’t even a choice.

“The only solution is an urgent vaccination programme and this needs to happen to keep our workforce numbers strong at what is a crucial time for everyone. This is not only about police officer safety, this is about ensuring public safety too. We don’t have an endless supply of police officers that we can roll out to deal with day to day demands and additional COVID related policing, that’s why it’s so important we do all we can to look after the ones we’ve got.”

She added: “There are, I appreciate, many people who are key workers and deserve to be high on that list too, of course, but for our police including some staff and volunteers, the risks are notably huge.

“I couldn’t agree more when Government says how brave our police are and what an incredible job they are doing but what we really want them to say is when will they get vaccinated. We need a plan and it needs to be put into action. The devil is in the detail on this and we would welcome urgency – that’s the very least our police and their families deserve.”

THOUSANDS HAVE THEIR VIEWS ON POLICING & CRIME HEARD, AS POLICE COMMISSIONER ANNOUNCES FUTURE POLICING PLAN

Northumbria’s Police & Crime Commissioner calls on residents to give their views on her proposed Police & Crime Plan following months of feedback, consultation and opinion gathering across the region.

 The Police & Crime Plan, the document used by the Police & Crime Commissioner to hold the forces Chief Constable to account, has been published in draft form and the Commissioner, Kim McGuinness, is calling on residents to have their say on it.

Following months of consultation, the Commissioner has now proposed her plan for the next 4 years titled ‘Fighting Crime, Preventing Crime’ – priorities in the plan include tackling anti-social behaviour, preventing violent crime and focusing on neighbourhood policing.

Commenting on the response to the consultation, Kim said: “I’m delighted that the people of Northumbria have come forward and given their views – this plan reflects those and aims to deliver on our communities priorities and concerns.”

“I will use the plan to hold the force to account and ensure that we are continuing to deliver a high quality service that our communities expect. Despite the challenges the force have faced in the past 12 months, we’ve still managed to proactively fight crime and this is reflected in the continued fall in crime across the region.”

As an impact of national lockdown and other resulting factors, there was a 13% fall in total recorded crime during the recorded period ending June 2019 in comparison in the same period ending 2020.

Kim continued: “There have been some clear themes and issues highlighted during the consultation period, and I will work with the Chief Constable to address these and ensure they are addressed. Within the plan I have committed to reporting back regularly on our progress, and I believe this transparency is important for communities to understand how we are addressing their concerns.”

Of the priorities identified in the draft plan, anti-social behaviour was the crime with the noticeable increase in reported instances, largely attributed to Covid-19 related issues. Overall ASB increased by 68% during April to August 2020 in comparison to the same period of the previous year.

At the peak during April and May, up to 53% of ASB instances were linked to Covid-19.

Commenting on the changing crime types, Kim said: “The past year has of course been a different one for the force, but they’ve responded professionally and responded accordingly. There has obviously been a change in crime patterns as a result of lockdowns, curfews and restrictions, but as we edge towards a way out of this pandemic, my focus is very much on ensuring crime levels remain as low as we’ve seen throughout the Covid period.”

The plan can be viewed here: http://bit.ly/PCP21Draft – and the public can have their say by emailing enquiries@northumbria-pcc.gov.uk until Thursday 21^st January 2021.

PCC Kim McGuinness asks local people what they would pay to support policing in the region

THE region’s police and crime commissioner Kim McGuinness is asking local people to share their views on how to fund the policing of our communities in the years ahead.

Today, a public consultation on the police precept – the force’s share of local council tax bills – has been launched to find out how much residents are prepared to pay to support the work of police in our area.

The consultation is asking households for their views on a range of increases to the precept.

The lowest potential rise is a 1.99% increase per month, which is 23 pence for a Band D property. This small rise when set against inflation and the rising cost of policing would cover basic cost increases.

Options go up to a £1.25 pence per month rise (10.95%) in the precept which would allow the force to meet all current costs and be better prepared to respond to emerging trends and fight and prevent crime but the Commissioner believes this £15 annual increase per Band D household is too big an ask during a time of widespread unemployment and financial uncertainty.

Police Commissioner Kim McGuinness, said: “Ensuring your police force has what it needs to protect you, your family and your businesses is a key part of my role as your Police and Crime Commissioner. That’s why I need to know how much you’re prepared to pay for good policing. I know times are hard for so many people right now though, especially those whose jobs and livelihoods have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, and so it’s really important that you have your say.

“Northumbria Police has taken a real hit in Government funding over the last decade, which has seen budget cuts for the police totalling £144 million. Unfortunately, this places a greater reliance upon the police precept share of your overall council tax bill to fund services.

“For me, it goes without saying that the Government should be doing more to fund police forces – now more than ever. The last 12 months has reinforced just how important our police force is – they’ve done an incredible job working to keep people safe during such difficult times. And we have to remember, the pandemic is far from over, recessions and crime go hand in hand – our police need the resources to deal with these ongoing pressures but it comes at a cost.”

The Northumbria Precept Survey 2021 can be completed here: – http://bit.ly/3nr9zXx

Statement from LA7 leaders

“As we enter the second week of the third national lockdown, we once again thank all residents who have done their bit by staying at home as much possible.

“These efforts, coupled with the widespread compliance with the tiered restrictions beforehand, means infection rates across our region are at a level that is much lower than other parts of the country.

“The current case rate per 100,000 for Tyneside, Wearside, Northumberland and County Durham is less than 400, compared to a rate in excess of 600 per 100,000 for England as a whole.

“The position we find ourselves in may be better than in other parts of the country, but we still have a long way to go and if we are to avoid some of the scenes we’ve seen in London and elsewhere with hospitals reaching capacity with Covid-19 patients, we must continue do everything we can to limit the spread of the virus.

“There is always a delay between the point of infection and people requiring hospital treatment if they become seriously ill, so we cannot afford to let our guard down for a moment if we are to save lives and protect our NHS services.

“What we do know is that the new, more transmissible variant of the virus now accounts for approximately half of all cases in the region. It is well known that this variant is easier to catch and spreads further than the original virus, so we must continue to be vigilant and act like we all have Covid. We cannot allow it to take control.

“For the most part, that means staying at home but for a few exceptional reasons including for exercise, shopping for essentials and travelling to work if you cannot do so from home. You can also leave home to seek help if you are unsafe or at risk of danger. But unless it absolutely necessary for you to go out, you should stay at home and deny the virus any opportunity to spread.

“As Chief Medical Officer Christ Whitty outlined this morning, reducing your social contact with others remains vital and by following the guidance we can all do our bit to protect our communities. Stay local if you do have to go out and if you go somewhere that is already busy, turn around and go home. Less traffic on our roads and fewer pedestrians also reduces the likelihood of accidents and prevents further pressure on the NHS.

“Our police forces and local authority enforcement teams have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic to engage with the public and keep us safe. By acting responsibly we can help them to focus on essential day-to-day work.

“The vaccination programme is now in operation and the NHS is working to provide protection to the most vulnerable among us and to health and care staff and this is going on at pace.

“We are working with our NHS colleagues to provide buildings and sites, support with staffing, transporting people to get vaccinated, traffic management, winter maintenance – we know our communities and will do everything in our power to support the vaccination roll out.

“Our region is showing that following the rules is effective for preventing the virus from spiralling out of control and we must continue to follow Hands, Face, Space, getting a test if we have symptoms and do everything we can to protect ourselves, our loved ones and our communities.

Please stay safe, stay at home where possible and together we will protect the NHS and save lives. Thank You.”

Cllr Simon Henig, CBE, Leader, Durham County Council
Cllr Martin Gannon, Leader, Gateshead Council
Cllr Nick Forbes, CBE, Leader, Newcastle City Council
Norma Redfearn CBE, Elected Mayor, North Tyneside Council
Cllr Glen Sanderson, Leader, Northumberland County Council
Cllr Tracey Dixon, Leader, South Tyneside Council
Cllr Graeme Miller, Leader, Sunderland City Council 
Jamie Driscoll, North of Tyne Mayor
Kim McGuinness, Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner