Wiganers given their say on police tax rise plan

Three-quarters of police funding comes from a central government grant and a quarter from what can be raised locally from the police precept.

The consultation proposes an increase of £14 a year for a band D property (£1.17 a month) - less than last year’s precept increase. This equates to £10.89 per year (91 pence a month) for an average Band B property. The majority of properties in Greater Manchester fall within Bands A and B.

And below are issues that city region residents told politicians were important to them in the new Greater Manchester Police and Crime Plan, Standing Together, which was written following extensive engagement with communities:

Remain one of the best police forces in the country in the speed of answering 999 calls

Further improve 101 answering times

Further improve GMP response times with a focus on improving non-emergency response times

Further reduce and prevent neighbourhood crimes, Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) and retail crime by investment in our prevention and neighbourhood policing teams

Improve road and transport safety by continuing with Operation Vulcan in Piccadilly and Victoria and expanding this out to key hotspot areas across the city region

Implement a new TravelSafe Live Chat service on the Bee Network which will allow people to report incidents on public transport in real-time

Divert more children and young people away from crime by investing in preventative services

Bring more sex offenders to justice

Investment in GMP’s Professional Standards Department that oversees police conduct issues to improve public trust and confidence in policing.

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said: “We set out a number of commitments last year on what Greater Manchester Police would deliver with the precept, and they delivered on every one of them. GMP are now answering 999 calls in record time, attending incidents sooner and investing in neighbourhood policing and crime prevention teams.

"As a result, we’ve seen crime reduce across the board, with the most marked improvement in neighbourhood crime which has reduced by 17 per cent in the past year.

“I know that times are tough for our residents but investment through the precept is vital to maintain this improvement.

"Your money really does make a difference and this year you can expect to see an even better police service, a safer Bee Network and the launch of a new TravelSafe Live Chat messaging service to report crimes and increase safety.”

Deputy Mayor for Safer and Stronger Communities, Kate Green, said: “With the help of funds raised through the precept last year, Greater Manchester Police remain one of the most improved police forces in the country.

"In 2024, the force was recognised as a world leader in tackling stubborn crime and anti-social behaviour, winning the international Goldstein Award for their problem-solving Operation Vulcan in Cheetham Hill.

“I’m proud of the improvements Greater Manchester Police has made, but we recognise that more needs to be done to achieve what people told us they want to see in the new Greater Manchester Police and Crime Plan.”

The public can respond to the police precept consultation at www.gmconsult.org by January 17.

The final precept is scrutinised by the Greater Manchester Police, Fire and Crime Panel which is made up of councillors from each of the 10 councils and is chaired by a councillor.