THE Police and Crime Commissioner for Wiltshire and Swindon is continuing to consult on the police and crime element of council tax for 2014-15 at community meetings throughout the area.

Angus Macpherson is considering an increase of £3.15 a year in the police and crime element of council tax for the average home.

This is to help reduce the impact of significant central Government grants reductions on policing and crime services in Wiltshire and Swindon.

An average increase of £3.15 per household would provide the Commissioner with an additional £740,000 of local income for 2014-15. It would still be the lowest council tax rate for police and crime services in the south-west.

Mr Macpherson and members of his team are attending Wiltshire Council Area Boards and Swindon Borough Council Localities to talk with people about this.

People can also read more and give their views on the Commissioner’s website – wiltshire-pcc.gov.uk.

Upcoming meetings at Tidworth (Monday, 20 January) Devizes (Monday, 27 January) and Amesbury (Thursday, 30 January) are being held for people to voice their opinions.

The Commissioner said: “During the past few months we have been reviewing the budget very carefully and it is clear that as central Government funding continues to reduce more and more, we have to look at a small increase in the police and crime element of council tax.

“The council tax rate for policing and crime services in our area has not increased for the past three years and it will still be the lowest in the south-west.

“I do believe people will be willing to pay just a little bit more a year towards sustaining high quality policing and crime services in the county, especially neighbourhood policing.

“Ensuring value for money for residents in Wiltshire and Swindon while maintaining high quality services is very important to me.”