Members of the Police and Crime Panel have approved the setting of the precept for policing and crime services proposed by Dr Alan Billings, South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner.

The increase to the policing element of council tax for 2022/23 of £10 for a Band D property – equivalent to 19p a week – will go towards boosting police officer numbers across South Yorkshire.

In its Spending Review in December the Government announced the policing budget for South Yorkshire would be £314m – an overall increase of 5.8 per cent. This assumes that the Police and Crime Commissioner would increase the council tax precept to the maximum allowed, which is equivalent to £10 per annum on a band D property.

Funding for policing and crime services is made up of two elements – central grant funding and council tax precept. This year the central funding provided by the government makes up 74 per cent of the budget at £233m. The remaining 26% – £81m – has to be raised through the council tax precept.

Commenting on the outcome, Dr Billings said: “No one wants to hear their bills are on the rise, but the demand for more police officers means funding boosts provided by the precept are necessary to meet our targets.

“Over the next year we’ll recruit more than 200 officers. These will include increases to neighbourhood policing as well as specialised teams such as detectives working in CID and others dedicated to regional roles to tackle organised crime within the Regional Organised Crime Unit.

“Whilst the Government will be providing some funding towards these officers in the form of the Government grant, Police and Crime Commissioners across the country have been told that we have to contribute towards the cost of these extra officers by raising our council tax precept. Doing so will allow me to increase officer numbers, fight crime, support victims and keep the people of South Yorkshire safe.”

The proposal was accepted by the majority of the Panel, which is made up of local councillors from each of the four South Yorkshire local authorities plus two independent members. Nine of the Panel members voted in favour of the proposal and two against.

Dr Billings will make his decision at a special meeting of the Public Accountability Board on 23 February, following consultations with the Police and Crime Panel, council leaders, local councillors and the public across each of the districts of Barnsley, Sheffield, Rotherham and Doncaster.