| Newbury taxpayers will pay 5% more for police services from April, after the Government warned Thames Valley Police it would be ‘capped’ if it attempted a planned 8.2% rise.
The local force’s £329m spending plans were outlined for the coming year, including £14m on new police station in Slough, and £30m on new computers and radio system.
The police authority, made up of councillors from across the region, said the 5% hike would pay for 37 extra police officers, and 87 support staff, as well as 124 community support officers to patrol a beat and address low level crime like cycling offences.
Sally Hannon, chairman of the Police Authority, said: “Setting the budget has been a challenge this year given the disappointing settlement we received and the number of statutory requirements we have to comply with. We were also constrained by the level to which we could increase council tax.
“But in spite of this I believe we have managed to achieve a budget which will allow us to improve the service that we provide and to deliver on key objectives such as continuing to roll out neighbourhood policing and making improvements to the way in which we tackle major and serious crime.”
Mrs Hannon – who receives an £25,000 a year allowance for the chairman job – said she had cut £10m off various projects to balance the books, after the government warned police forces they could be capped. The Home Office has allocated a 3.1% increase in grant funding – the bulk of police income.
Acting Chief Constable Sara Thornton said: “There have undoubtedly been some tough choices to make in setting the budget this time. However, our key thinking throughout has been to ensure that there is no impact on the operational service we provide.
“Although we have had to scale back our growth plans considerably we were determined to protect front line policing as far as possible. In fact with the increase in officers, and additional PCSOs that we will be taking on, there will actually be a greater police presence on the streets of Thames Valley than ever before.”
The police said it would also be refurbishing Thatcham police station, which is closed to the public, and spending £1m on interest-free mortgage top-ups to encourage officers to buy a house in the area. Other spending includes a new canteen for the training college at Sulhamstead.
Meanwhile, West Berkshire Council is expected to approve its lowest ever council tax increase on March 2. | 
