THE Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner has defended how a consultation into a rise in the force’s council tax precept was conducted.
During a meeting of the Police and Crime Panel, a member of the public claimed the consultation was aimed mainly at those who would support an increase.
Concerns about the consultation, led to a £15 hike for Band D bills, raised similar concerns.
Johnny Denis, Green councillor for Ouse Valley and Ringmer, said: “There is clearly some extensive consultation – but I’m not sure how representative it is as it stands across the county of all demographics and not just those people who have an active interest.”
Labour councillor for Hollington, Paul Barnett, said he wasn’t aware there had been a consultation until he read the submitted question.
Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne said: “I’m very confident that the consultation that we have run this year, throughout the year, is extremely representative.”
The meeting was told there had been 4,465 responses to the consultation, with 2,266 (50.8%) supporting an increase of £15 for the year, and 858 (19.2%) supporting an increase of £10.
The increase – and other policing issues – was discussed with 32 parish and town councils across East and West Sussex, with 22 saying they would support a £15 rise – though it was stressed that the public would need to see success.
Of the 32 councils, 11 said they were very happy with the police and 21 said they were fairly happy.
Public confidence in and support for the police was said to have increased.
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Mervin Dadd, chief communications and insight officer, told the meeting that a total of 64 consultations had been held with councils and other groups in 2020.
They included round-tables covering rural and business crime as well as road and neighbourhood policing – and all were aimed at locations which had not been covered in previous years.
Mr Dadd added: “We really wanted to get a representative sample of urban, rural and coastal places.
“Hopefully that will explain why some towns weren’t included.”
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