POLICE and Crime Commissioner Christopher Salmon is proposing to increase the amount people pay for policing in Dyfed-Powys by 3.9 per cent for 2013-14; a smaller increase than in recent years.

The Commissioner says he is proposing the smaller rise to balance the need of providing an effective policing service, while minimising as far as possible the cost to taxpayers.

The proposed rise to the precept, the part of the council tax that pays for police services, is the equivalent of a 14.9 pence weekly increase or, a rise from £198 to £206 annually, for a band D household.

This will take Dyfed-Powys Police’s budget to £98 million for 2013-14. The Commissioner was putting his proposals to the Police and Crime last week.

Commissioner Salmon, said: “I am acutely conscious of the pressure on family budgets in these tough times. In proposing the council tax precept, I have sought to balance the needs of our police service with the demands on families across Dyfed Powys.

“I am proposing a rise of 3.9 per cent, down from the rises of between 4.2 per cent and 5 per cent of recent years. This produces a challenging but achievable budget for Dyfed-Powys Police that will enable us to protect service to the public while minimising demands on taxpayers.

My aim is to bring rises into line with inflation over the next four years.”