Police funding

Each year, the PCC is responsible for setting the amount of money you contribute to local police services through your council tax bill – this is known as the police ‘precept’.

The precept accounts for 43 per cent of police funding and the rest is from central Government. The Government set the maximum amount by which PCCs can increase the precept each year.

For 2025/26 PCC Clare Moody, asked the Police and Crime Panel meeting for Avon and Somerset to support an average increase of £14 a year in council tax to fund local policing.

The Police and Crime Panel is independent of the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner and has a statutory responsibility to scrutinise the PCC’s proposed council tax precept.

The PCC’s proposal was supported by the Police and Crime Panel on Tuesday 4 February.   

The approved increase equates to approximately £1.16 per month. This decision follows the public consultation where 3,146 residents across the region shared their views. The majority supported a precept increase of £10 or more (52 per cent). 

This year’s precept will generate an additional £8.5 million for Avon and Somerset Police. Without this increase the service would have faced a significant deficit, even after making the savings committed to in their £6.4 million savings plan over the next year. 

The decision comes as the service continues to manage the financial challenges posed by rising costs and increasing demands on policing. 

AS PCC Police Council Tax Leaflet-05MAR25