Sussex Police faces £5m budget deficit, even if it increases its council tax precept

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Sussex Police faces a £5m budget deficit, even if it increases its council tax precept by the maximum allowed.

During a meeting on Thursday (January 16), Police & Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne was told that, without a 5.5% increase in 2025/26, the shortfall would be £14m.

If approved by Mrs Bourne, the rise would give the force a ‘fighting chance’ to balance its budget, while adding another £14 to a Band D property.

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Since 2015/16, the force’s portion of the average council tax bill has risen from £143 to £252. This latest increased will take it to £266.

Chief Constable Jo Shiner and Police & Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne. Image: Sussex PoliceChief Constable Jo Shiner and Police & Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne. Image: Sussex Police
Chief Constable Jo Shiner and Police & Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne. Image: Sussex Police

Chief finance officer Peter Appleton told Mrs Bourne that the force’s operating costs for 2025/26 would be £426.5m.

Chief Constable Jo Shiner said: “There is a stark reality to this that, should we not get further investment, then we will have to make some incredibly difficult choices about what, as a force, we do and don’t do.”

She added that, since 2019, officer numbers had grown by 489 and the force was ‘really seeing the impact of investment in the frontline’.

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That impact saw a 35% rise in crimes solved up to September 2023, and a 52% rise in 2024 – despite an increase in the number of crimes recorded.

Looking at other money coming into the force, Mrs Bourne said the government grant settlement would be £254.1m – up £13.9m – but the performance grant from the Home Office would drop from £9m to £7.5m despite all performance targets being met.

The Chief Constable added: “Looking forward, we face a significant challenge – there is little doubt on that. Crime demand continues to grow, not just in volume but also in complexity.

“We have one of the lowest funding pots per head of population and it is incredibly tricky looking forward.”

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