Despite a majority vote against the 1.96 per cent proposed increase from the county’s Police and Crime Commissioner, it was approved at a meeting of the Police and Crime Panel at County Hall, Dorchester on 6 February.
The Panel had the power to veto the proposal had it considered it either too high or too low. Any veto must be agreed by two-thirds of Panel members, which would require twelve members to vote against the proposals. Seven members voted to support the PCC’s precept proposal while nine opposed it.
The increase of the policing precept for 2014/15 will therefore be 1.96 per cent.
The policing precept increase equates to a rise of £3.60 on the current year for a Band D property meaning households across Dorset will pay an extra seven pence per week from April as their contribution towards policing the County.
Cllr John Adams, Chair of the Police and Crime Panel said, “I am satisfied that a full debate was had and that all Panel members had an opportunity to fully scrutinise the Police & Crime Commissioner’s proposals. Whilst a majority of Panel member opposed the increase, a veto was not passed because it was not agreed by two-thirds of the Panel.”
