Police teams will be resourced to take the fight to criminals, says Police and Crime Commissioner as council tax rise goes ahead

Policing teams will be properly resourced to take the fight to criminals in Surrey over the coming year, the Police and Crime Commissioner said after her budget proposals were given the green light today. 

Lisa Townsend’s suggested 4.4 per cent increase in the policing element of council tax, known as the precept, was approved at a meeting of Surrey’s Police and Crime Panel at Woodhatch Place in Reigate this afternoon. 

An average Band D property will be charged £15 extra a year, or just over £1 more each month, for 2026/27.  

For every pound of the precept set, Surrey Police receives an extra half a million pounds. However, the Force still need to find savings of £5.5million this year and a further £8.1million over the following three years.

Despite the financial challenges, Lisa said Surrey Police is making “incredible” strides, doubling the number of charges across the board and solving 40 per cent more crimes. 

Burglary rates have been cut by 14 per cent over the past year, while charges for shoplifting have increased by 465 per cent and charges for rape have doubled. 

More than 2,400 residents gave their views on the Commissioner's proposal as part of a public survey. The survey was originally based on the assumption the Government would allow PCCs to raise a maximum of £14 a year on a Band D property, in line with previous years. 57 per cent of respondents supported the proposal. 

In fact, the settlement for this year allowed a maximum precept of £15, which the Commissioner proposed to the Police and Crime Panel today.

Lisa said: “I have been all over the county talking to residents who have told me loud and clear that they want to see - visible policing in their communities and our teams tackling the crimes that are important to them where they live.

“Surrey Police are delivering and this has only been made possible by the contributions our residents make through their council tax which remain absolutely crucial.

“I vowed last year that the precept will always be used to ensure that our officers and staff are doing what only they can – fighting crime, taking offenders off our streets and keeping our communities safe. I make that same pledge again today. These improvements must be sustained and built on by the Force and I know the Chief Constable is up to the challenge. 

“It is never easy to ask the public to pay more money for their policing and it is not a decision I take lightly. The reality is that without the precept increase, we risk not only undoing all the hard work Surrey Police have put into the last two years, but also offering a reduced service to our communities.

“That is not a risk I am prepared to take. Our survey showed that the majority of the Surrey public who took part support this view and I want to thank everyone who took the time to give me their opinion.”