FAQs

The police precept is part of your annual Council Tax charge which provides essential funding for our local police services in West Yorkshire.  It is similar to local charges for adult social care and fire and rescue services, which you can also see on your annual Council Tax bill.

The Mayor, Tracy Brabin, has responsibility for policing in West Yorkshire and this includes setting the annual budget for West Yorkshire Police and the level of the police precept for the coming year.   The Government sets expectations for what level the police precept should be, and Mayors and Police and Crime Commissioners across England and Wales consult local residents on these funding proposals.

The Government does provide most of the funding for local policing but 23% of West Yorkshire Police’s budget comes from local residents’ Council Tax payments through the police precept.  All parts of the country help to fund their local police services in this way.

Contributing 23% of the overall police budget, the funding gained through the police precept is extremely important in supporting police service across West Yorkshire.  Money raised in this way will support all aspects of local policing, from neighbourhood officers and PCSOs, supporting victims of crime, roads policing, safeguarding vulnerable people, and specialist services like economic crime and digital forensics.

In the year ahead West Yorkshire Police plan to use additional funds to recruit more PCSOs to support the 750 additional police officers and staff that have been recruited during the Mayor’s term in office, and more staff to work in the police contact centre, responding to 999 and 101 calls from the public.

Since 2010, core government funding provided to West Yorkshire Police has been reduced. It is one of 11 forces nationally that have faced funding reductions greater than 10% in real terms. The Mayor has continued to press the Government for sustainable funding for our police service, writing to the Home Secretary in December 2023 to put forward West Yorkshire’s case.  

Despite this, the independent body responsible for scrutiny of police services (HM Inspectorate of Constabulary & Fire and Rescue Services) has assessed West Yorkshire Police to be ‘outstanding’ in strategic planning, organisational management, and providing value for money.

We understand that these are challenging times for households.  For most residents in West Yorkshire, the proposed increase to the police precept represents less than 22p extra per week.