Continued development of an improved policing service for residents and businesses in Warwickshire has been assured thanks to the approval of my budget for 2021/22 by the Warwickshire Police and Crime Panel earlier this month.

A 9-1 majority of members of the panel supported my proposals for a balanced budget for the year ahead, with one abstention. The resulting funding it has secured means that Warwickshire Police will continue to have the resources it needs to deliver improved services to the public, without spending more than it receives and having to rely on increased use of reserves to make up the shortfall.

It also means that the improvements past increases in the Police Precept can be protected and further enhancements delivered.

This has been the most difficult budget to produce of my term of office, coming as it does amid very uncertain economic times and as all communities continue to feel the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

The financial settlement we receive from Government does require PCCs to increase the police precept element of Council Tax in order to be able to sustain increased funding for policing.  In Warwickshire, this means that the Precept for 2021/22 will increase by 6.3%.  For a Band D household that equates to £1.25 per month.

I am very mindful that across local government there are similar financial stresses and the other authorities that set the precepts which affect the final Council Tax bill have also announced increases. However, I have to balance these concerns against the need to ensure that policing in our county delivers against public expectations, while also having a firm financial footing.

That’s why I have asked the force to undertake efficiency savings in the current year in order to deliver a balanced budget in the future. This has meant that they have had to undertake planned changes to the way they operate at a faster pace, in order to provide the savings needed to underpin that long-term financial stability. Difficult though that process has been, I have been assured that the resulting operational changes will lead to greater resilience for the force and will deliver an improved service to the public.

Increasing taxation is not something I came into office setting out to do but the alternatives are even less palatable. Without the funding a precept rise delivers, the reality is the force would need to make considerably larger savings, leading inevitably to painful decisions and cuts in services, all of which would have a disproportionate impact on the poorest in society. I don't think that is either acceptable or what the public would want to see so, while difficult, I am sure that a precept rise in the current circumstances is the right thing to do. 

Instead, the police will have the resources they need to deliver what our consultations have shown the public want to see; namely an improved capability to solve crime, with strong visibility to reduce offences occurring in communities, alongside a continued focus on protecting the most vulnerable in society from harm.

Council Tax notices will be going out in the coming weeks and I have produced a guide to help understand further how the money is allocated and further detail on what all of the revised Police Precept bandings will be. 

I'd also like to take the opportunity to thank everyone who took the time to take part in the 'Your Police, Your Views' survey which helped inform the final budget proposals. There was a good response and all of the comments did prove helpful in making the final decision.  My office has published a full report on the results of the consultation and you can see from it how it has helped shape the funding priorities for the year ahead.

Katherine has served in the Special Constabulary for 27 years, becoming the Specials Chief Officer in 2019. A key member of the force’s Local Policing command team, she has worked on everything from serious investigations to incident response to problem solving within local neighbourhoods.

She has been pivotal in co-ordinating Specials policing of the night time economy and work with the force’s roads policing teams, including carrying out activity to support national campaigns in relation to speed enforcement and seat belt campaigns.

I have always been a great supporter of volunteering - indeed, my ambition is to see many more Specials recruited over the next year - so I am naturally delighted that Katherine's hard work and dedication to the cause has been recognised at the highest levels.

Organisations large and small providing domestic abuse or sexual violence support services across Warwickshire are being invited to make a bid for uplift funding. A total of £153,706 has been allocated to my office by the Ministry of Justice for schemes in Warwickshire, as part of its ongoing additional funding for services supporting victims since the lockdown began. A total of £95,219 is allocated for domestic abuse services, with £58,487 allocated for sexual violence services.

The funding is to cover the period from 1^st April 2021 to 31^st March 2022 and is intended to help unmet needs in respect of:

• Advocacy services for adults and children
• Court Support
• Face to face or remote counselling
• Support for particular groups such as BAME/Disabled/LGBT/male victims.

This is further welcome news from the government and builds on the emergency funding that has previously been allocated in these specialist areas due to pressures brought about by the pandemic.

In addition, I will also very soon be issuing my own grant monies to assist in these areas, so the MoJ announcement comes as an additional boost and supplement.

I know that this pandemic has thrown up extraordinary challenges to organisations working with victims.  Some have lost sources of funding as a result and all have had to meet the unexpected expense of changing the way they deliver their services. That’s why this additional Ministry of Justice funding is a very welcome opportunity for everybody.

Visit the OPCC website for more information on the funding and how to apply.

A pilot project with Brake, the road safety charity, is providing the county with a dedicated Independent Road Victim Advocate (IRVA), to provide expert, one-to-one support to people living within Warwickshire who have been seriously affected by a road collision.

Supported through my Road Safety Fund, the IRVA role is not to investigate the collision or collate information, but to work in partnership with the police Family Liaison Officer to provide the wrap-around emotional and practical support required to look after the family members' wellbeing.

As well as offering a safe environment to discuss how injured victims or their families are feeling and look at ways to access help and support in a confidential manner either in person or on the phone, the IRVA’s role is to help people cope better with emotional and physical symptoms such as accessing help through their GP, sourcing specific support services and providing a structured support and care plan.

The IRVA will also help with the many practical and legal challenges that are difficult following a bereavement, such as funeral arrangements, financial concerns or sourcing community support for everyday ongoing needs.

While there has been good progress in road safety in Warwickshire, incidents on our roads are still the leading cause of death and serious injury that the police deal with. For every victim in Warwickshire many more people will be affected, including friends, family and loved ones.

I’m therefore pleased to be working with Brake to offer this pilot in Warwickshire, which is helping ensure bereaved families understand and receive the support that is available to them as they negotiate the extremely traumatic period following losing someone in a collision.

The project has been very well received by all those it has worked with so far and it’s great to be able to lead the way nationally. My office will be working with Brake to evaluate this pilot over the coming months to see how we can move towards a permanent solution in future.

We are continuing to operate as normal, though our offices in Northgate Street, Warwick remain closed to the public and my staff are working remotely. 

You can continue to contact us as normal however by email at opcc@warwickshire.pnn.police.uk or by phone at 01926 412322.  Wherever possible, please try to contact us by email in the first instance, but please note that due to our revised working arrangements, it may take us longer than usual to provide you with a reply.