Dear Resident,

I am asking every resident in Wiltshire for your input: how much extra would you be willing to invest in policing—and why? This is your opportunity to make your voice heard and help shape the future of policing in our county.

Today, I am launching my annual Use Your Voice: Budget and Precept survey, which is open to residents and stakeholders alike. 

As I work to set the budget for policing and commissioned services for the next financial year (2025/26), your views will play a crucial role in shaping our decisions.

I am asking whether your household would be prepared to contribute more towards policing through the police precept element of your council tax. Together with the government’s grant, this funding forms the entire budget for Wiltshire Police. Unfortunately, due to the national police funding formula, Wiltshire Police remains the third-lowest funded force per head of population in the country.

Currently, a Band D household pays £269 per year for policing and I am proposing a modest increase of just over 5%—an additional £14 a year, or £1.16 per month. This is the maximum we can ask for without triggering a Local Referendum. Obviously, lower bands pay less and higher bands pay more but this is the average amount against which we measure ourselves.

Wiltshire Police is on an improvement journey, and we have already achieved so much. 

We now have the highest number of police officers in a decade, better training for officers, staff, and volunteers, improved community engagement and visibility, faster 101 and 999 response times, and increased justice outcomes. These improvements have led to the Force being lifted from its "Engage" status earlier this year.

However, this progress has not come without costs. Significant investment has been necessary to ensure our communities are not only safer but also feel safer.

Just before Christmas, Wiltshire Police received its settlement grant from the Government. While this was presented as an increase, much of the funding has been ringfenced—for instance, for additional neighbourhood policing—and offset by rising costs such as wage increases and National Insurance contributions. We are currently analysing what this means in real terms as we finalise the budget.

Setting Wiltshire Police’s budget is one of my key responsibilities. It is informed by operational advice from the Chief Constable and from the input of residents like you—through surveys, consultations, and engagement events.

Now, more than ever, we must make the right decisions to continue Wiltshire Police’s improvement and transformation journey. This was always our plan. Our communities deserve to feel safe and confident in their police force, and your feedback will guide us in achieving this.

The survey runs until Friday, 31 January 2025, and I encourage you to take part: https://bit.ly/UseYourVoicePrecept25

My team and I will also be attending Area Boards and events across January to hear your thoughts directly. 

Detailed information about next year’s police budget will be available from mid-January and discussed at Wiltshire and Swindon’s Police and Crime Panel.

This is your chance to shape the future of policing in Wiltshire. Please take a moment to complete the survey and share your thoughts—I am here to listen. Together, we are Making Wiltshire Safer.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and I look forward to hearing your feedback. 

Philip Wilkinson

Police and Crime Commissioner for Wiltshire and Swindon