Derbyshire residents could pay an extra £15 to the police force each year to plug an upcoming £5 million funding gap which represents a "risk to frontline policing". 

Rachel Swann, the county and city’s chief constable, has asked Derbyshire’s police and crime commissioner, Angelique Foster, to hike the force’s share of council tax to £266.60.

This would represent a 5.9 percent increase, a maximum possible increase, representing £15 a year for Band D homeowners.

Ms Swann says the funding would help sustain the force’s successful rushed recruitment to a total of 2,110 police officers, help hire 200 special officers this year, and fund laptops for all frontline response officers and mobile data terminals for officers.

She details in a budget report for the 2023-2024 financial year that the force needs and wants to build 50 custody cells in the north of the county and a headquarters in Chesterfield, along with a further 50 custody cells and another headquarters in the south of the county.

Ms Swann writes that the force faces “significant operational and organisational challenges” alongside wider financial difficulties.

She said: “Whilst I fully recognise that the communities of Derbyshire are already feeling the financial impact of the cost-of-living crisis, my primary consideration must be how I can best deliver policing within the county.

“Anything other than a precept increase of £15 would not deliver the immediate investment required to maintain and improve service in the short and medium term, leaving me with no option but to make this recommendation to you.

“It presents a risk to frontline policing, which we have both worked hard to increase over the past 18 months.”

Angelique Foster (left) and Rachel Swann

Details in a report set to be discussed by Derbyshire County Council next week show the force is expecting a budget shortfall of more than half a million pounds in the next financial year, which is set to surge to more than £5.2 million in the 2024 financial year.

The police and commissioner’s finance officials detail that even with a maximum increase in the force’s council tax precept “a rigorous and structured process for identifying further savings will be required to enable balanced budgets”.

Police officials detail that the force aims to cut £884,000 this year, largely through removing vacant staff posts and overtime.

The force says it currently has a much higher than accepted vacancy level of 13 per cent, (227 roles) with the typical allowed rate being four per cent.

Its budget for the next year would total £212.2 million.

The police’s council tax precept is just a portion of your overall annual bill, which for most residents will total in the region of £1,600.

Most of your annual tax bill goes towards either the county or city council, followed by the borough or district council (if living in the county, not the city) and the fire service, with some areas also paying towards a parish council.

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