A FORMER Surrey police officer has condemned proposals for county tax payers to foot a greater share of the cost of funding a force that is “invisible” in Haslemere.

Robert Knowles, who is a town borough councillor, worked for Surrey Police for 39 years as an officer and civilian. He spoke out this week as Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner David Munro launched a public consultation proposing a £24 increase based on a Band D property.

In December, the Home Office gave police and crime commissioners across the country the flexibility to increase the policing element of a Band D council tax bill by up to £2 per month – the equivalent of around 10 per cent across all bands. In Surrey, every one per cent rise in the police precept equates to around £1m in additional income.

Mr Knowles said: “I am disappointed by the suggestion that a further burden on top of the annual percentage increase in police tax could be imposed.

“This additional tax is a burden that will hit those least able to pay for a service that is my ward invisible. When I served in Surrey Police, there were police stations in Haslemere, Godalming, Cranleigh and Farnham, with offices at Milford and Hindhead. Now there are none, but the police tax is the second biggest element of the annual council tax bill.

“Government cuts have caused problems for all local service. However, to suggest policing is local is quite false. Salaries are set nationally by the government, this is the main cost of policing, and the shortfall in budgets caused by grant cuts should be met by central government, not loaded onto even higher council tax.”

Making the case for supporting payment of an extra £2 a month in council tax, Mr Munro said it would pay for an additional 100 police officers in Surrey.

The proposed rise would mean doubling the number of officers in dedicated neighbourhood teams which support area policing teams across the county, while also helping Surrey Police invest in specialist officers to tackle serious organised crime gangs and drug dealers in our communities.

Launching the consultation, Mr Munro said: “Asking the public for more money at this time of year is one of the most difficult decisions I have to make as police and crime commissioner for this county.

“The question I am often rightly asked by the Surrey public is ‘what will I get in return?’. During my time in post I have spoken to many residents about policing issues in all four corners of the county and they regularly tell me they want to see more local policing in their communities.

“This has been at the forefront of my mind when I have been considering what to propose for this year’s policing element of the council tax.

“The chief constable and I agree we want to put more officers and police community support officers in local neighbourhoods to prevent crime and provide that visible reassurance that residents rightly value. We also want more officers to target organised gangs including drug dealers and have more detectives to investigate offences when they do happen.

“The government settlement has given police and crime commissioners the flexibility to increase this year’s precept and I don’t take this responsibility lightly. However, I believe it provides a real opportunity to help put more officers back into our communities which is what I believe the public of Surrey want to see.

“I believe this is the right option for the Surrey public but it is really important to me to get the views and opinions of the people who will be paying it. I would ask everyone to take a minute to fill out our survey and help me make my decision.”

Last January, Mr Munro increased the police precept by 5.99 per cent – £12 for a Band D property – claiming the force was “running at the limit of its capabilities”. A consultation found a majority in favour of the increase.

To respond to the survey, which closes at midnight on Monday, January 28, visit http://www.surrey-pcc.gov.uk/get-involved/council-tax-2019-20-have-your-say/