Police precept consultation launched

Residents and businesses in the Dyfed-Powys area are being invited to have their say on the proposed 2025/26 policing budget.

The public consultation, launched by Dyfed-Powys Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Dafydd Llywelyn, will focus on the police precept—the portion of council tax allocated to fund local policing.

The police precept currently accounts for 55% of Dyfed-Powys Police’s funding, with the remaining 45% provided by government grants. PCC Llywelyn highlighted the financial challenges faced by the force due to inflation, rising operational costs, and growing demands on police services.

“Setting the police precept is always challenging, particularly during times of high inflation, rising costs, and increasing demands on our police service,” said Llywelyn.

The Commissioner outlined how the increased precept for 2024/25 had been used to:

• Strengthen the Force Command Centre, improving the handling of 999 and 101 calls for faster, more effective responses.
• Support Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) numbers to ensure their continued presence in communities despite reduced funding from the Welsh Government.
• Protect and sustain service levels to meet the needs of the public.

While acknowledging the force’s efforts to improve efficiency and deliver savings, Llywelyn stressed the need for additional funding to maintain service quality:

“Further funding is needed to maintain the level of service our communities expect.”

The consultation, open from 6 December 2024 to 6 January 2025, offers residents and businesses a direct opportunity to influence decisions about the precept level for 2025/26.

“I urge local taxpayers to share their views,” said Llywelyn. “Your feedback will play a vital role in shaping decisions that impact community safety.”

Participants can share their views through an online survey by clicking here.

Paper copies of the survey are also available upon request from the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner.