How your money will be spent
Your precept will contribute towards:
-
- It will address under-investment, reduce future borrowing needs and ensure financial stability.
-
- It will allow for investment to improve all areas of the Service including estates, equipment, firefighter safety and training.
Precept leaflet - Quick guide to the Police Precept and Mayor’s General Precept
At the end of 2024 Mayor David Skaith held a consultation to discover the public’s priorities for both North Yorkshire Police and North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.
From 2 December 2024 to 20 January 2025, Mayor Skaith consulted with council tax payers and received 3,311 responses with feedback in support of increasing funding for both police and fire services, via the precept elements of the council tax
On 7 February 2025, Mayor Skaith used his powers to set the budgets and raise funds for North Yorkshire Police and North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue service through the local council tax.
When reading the council tax bill, residents will notice that the Fire precept, has now been replaced with the “Mayor’s General Precept”. This is a new precept following the introduction of the Mayor of York and North Yorkshire. In this council tax bill, all of the Mayor’s General Precept will be used for funding North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.
The Mayor’s General Precept is the amount people pay through their council tax for fire and rescue services. The police precept is the amount people pay through their council tax for policing. The two funds are distinct and one cannot be used to fund the other.
When setting the local council tax levels in February, Mayor Skaith said:
“Ensuring communities across York and North Yorkshire are safe places for all is a priority.
“The response to our recent consultation made it clear that residents and businesses want to see greater investment in our frontline services.
“However, asking residents to pay more towards our police and fire services is not a decision I have taken lightly.”
How the police budget is spent:
The overall police budget for 2025/2026 will be £232.3m with the majority being police and staffing costs. The money raised through the policing element of the council tax will contribute towards:
-
- An uplift in specialist safeguarding teams to safeguard the most vulnerable in North Yorkshire sees an investment of around £2m.
-
- Investment into Investigation Teams to mitigate risks to vulnerable people will see an investment of over £1m into Detectives.
-
- Further investment into the Force Control Room of £1m to further enhance the service to the public in this vital area is also planned.
-
- Other investments into the Digital Forensics Unit, Professional Standards Unit, Neighbourhoods and Criminal Justice of over £1m are also planned.
| Police – Budget |
£ million |
% |
| Police Officers - 51% |
117.9 |
51% |
| Police Community Support Officers - 3% |
5.9 |
3% |
| Police staff - 22% |
51 |
22% |
| Buildings and transport - 4% |
8.8 |
4% |
| Supplies and services - 12% |
28.2 |
12% |
| Other spend * - 8% |
19 |
8% |
| OPFCC - 1% |
1.5 |
1% |
| Total spending plan |
232.3 |
100% |
* This includes Community Safety Funding and Commissioned Services, Police Officer Medical and Injury Pensions, Cost of Capital and Use of Reserves.
Funding for the police
The overall police budget for 2025/2026 will be £232.3m with 45% of this funding coming from the local contribution via the council tax.
The results of the precept consultation, earlier this year showed that the majority of respondents were in favour of investing in our police force with 66% supporting an increase of at least £14, the most popular option being an increase of up to £18 and supported by 44% of respondents.
| Police – Funding |
£ million |
% |
| Funding from Government - 40% |
92.1 |
40% |
| Council tax precept – your contribution - 45% |
104.6 |
45% |
| Council tax grants - 3% |
7.9 |
3% |
| Specific grants - 8% |
19.3 |
8% |
| Fees, Charges and Partnerships - 4% |
8.4 |
4% |
| Total funding |
232.3 |
100% |
How the fire service budget is spent
The overall fire service budget for 2025/2026 will be £51.6m with the majority being spent on firefighter, control and support staff pay. The money raised through the Mayor's General Precept element of the council tax will:
-
- Address under-investment, reduce future borrowing needs and ensure financial stability.
-
- Allow for investment to improve all areas of the Service including estates, equipment, firefighter safety and training.
| Fire – Budget |
£ million |
% |
| Firefighter pay - 55% |
28.3 |
55% |
| Control and support staff - 14% |
7 |
14% |
| Supplies and Services - 9% |
4.4 |
9% |
| Premises and equipment - 5% |
2.6 |
5% |
| PFI - 4% |
1.9 |
4% |
| Transport - 2% |
1.1 |
2% |
| Capital financial charges - 5% |
2.6 |
5% |
| Other costs - 2% |
1.2 |
2% |
| Transfer to Reserves - 5% |
2.5 |
5% |
| Total spending plan |
51.6 |
100% |
Funding for the fire service
The overall fire service budget for 2025/2026 will be £51.6m with 68% of this funding coming from the local contribution via the council tax.
The results of the precept consultation, earlier this year showed that the majority of respondents were in favour of investing in our fire service with 67% supporting an increase of at least £15. Just over one-third of respondents, 35% supported an increase of up to £24.
| Fire service– Funding |
£ million |
% |
| Funding from Government - 22% |
11.2 |
22% |
| Contribution from your Council Tax - 68% |
34.9 |
68% |
| Specific grants - 9% |
4.6 |
9% |
| Fees, Charges and Partnerships - 2% |
0.9 |
2% |
| Total Funding |
51.6 |
100% |
