Maximum council tax hike planned to run Lancashire Police

That amounts to £14 a year or 27p a week for a typical Band D semi-detached home in 2025/26.

The figures are included in a report by police and crime commissioner Clive Grunshaw.

His recommended rise in the police precept on council tax bills across the county will be debated on Wednesday at Blackburn Town Hall by members of the Police and Crime Panel for Lancashire, which oversees his work and the work of the force.

The increase provides the additional income needed to cover a predicted funding gap of £6.696million without the rise.

Mr Grunshaw’s report to the councillors on the panel says: “The panel is asked to note the details of the 2025/26 provisional police finance settlement, cost pressures and investments and the impact on Lancashire’s budget and consider the commissioner’s proposal to increase the council tax precept by £14 (5.31 per cent) for a Band D property in 2025/26.

“The government announced the Provisional Police Grant Settlement on 17th December.

“Lancashire has been allocated a police grant of £259.040m, this compares to £248.742m in 2024/25, an increase of £10.298m.

“Within this increase of £10.298m there is a specific amount of £5.8m to meet the impact of the two per cent increase in costs relating to Employer National Insurance contributions leaving £4.498m to contribute towards all other cost increases including the effect of any pay award agreed for 2025/26.

In the provisional Police Grant Settlement on December 17, it was confirmed that PCCs were expected to increase council tax for a Band D property by the maximum £14 in 2025/26 without the need to hold a referendum.

“As in previous years a separate specific grant has been provided that is linked to the delivery of the police officer uplift programme.

“This grant of £12.6m will be received during the year when recruitment of the officers is confirmed as delivered.

“A new specific grant has been provided in respect of the government’s Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee. Lancashire will receive £2.5m in 2025/26.

“The draft capital programme for 2025/26 includes several projects delivering IT requirements and includes the construction of new police stations in Pendle and Chorley.”

The proposed PCC budget includes savings of £7.463m in 2025/26.

The report adds that if the precept were increased by £14 each year for the three years from 2026/27 to 2028/29 the police budget would still be £17.921m in deficit which it warns would be ‘a significant challenge’.