Police budget approved with council tax rise to maintain local policing

Residents in St Neots will see a rise in the amount they pay towards policing after the Police and Crime Commissioner’s budget for 2026/27 was formally approved.

Cambridgeshire Police and Crime Commissioner Darryl Preston presented his budget to the Police and Crime Panel this week, where members unanimously backed a 5% increase in the policing element of council tax, known as the precept.

The increase means households in a Band D property will pay an extra £14.94 a year towards policing, which the Commissioner says is necessary to maintain officer numbers and policing visibility across communities such as St Neots and the wider Huntingdonshire area.

Darryl Preston said the decision followed a public consultation, in which 52% of respondents supported paying more for policing. However, he expressed concern about what he described as the ongoing inadequacy of central government funding and its reliance on local taxpayers to support policing services.

He highlighted that Cambridgeshire remains one of the lowest-funded police forces in the country under the current funding formula, despite a growing population and increasing demand. The Commissioner said this year’s funding settlement was not enough to meet rising costs or address emerging threats without raising the precept.

The budget comes as the government has announced a review of police funding arrangements through its Police Reform White Paper, which the Commissioner welcomed as a step towards a fairer system for areas like Cambridgeshire.

Darryl Preston said the approved budget would help protect officer numbers, maintain visible policing and support efforts to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour across local communities..

“I am grateful to the public for their support for my approach and to all those who contributed to my consultation, as well as Police and Crime Panel members for their endorsement. Sadly, without increasing the precept this year, we could not maintain the current record officer numbers, nor sustain the strong and visible policing presence that is so important to our communities and vital for improving feelings of safety."