Residents in York and North Yorkshire are being asked to share their views on next year’s council tax contributions – known as precepts – for police and fire services.
Early next year, David Skaith, the Mayor for York and North Yorkshire, will set the amount that goes to North Yorkshire Police and North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.
The consultation offers several options, ranging from the level of funding needed to maintain current services, to options that which would allow further investment in priorities. These priorities include neighbourhood policing, prevention and early intervention for both services, as well as improvements to equipment and operational training to enhance service delivery and firefighter safety.
The Mayor and Jo Coles, Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire and Crime, are also proposing increased investment to make our roads safer, to help reduce collisions and casualties to achieve Vision Zero – the ambition for zero deaths on York and North Yorkshire’s roads.
As national Road Safety Week begins, the Combined Authority is working with the Road Safety Partnership to engage with communities, share practical tips to stay safe this winter, and offer free lights, reflectors and car safety kits.
David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, said: “Everyone in York and North Yorkshire should be safe and feel safe. Our police and fire services are key to that.
“Our public services have been under an enormous amount of pressure for the last fifteen years. My core principles in setting this precept are ensuring the minimum burden on local tax payers, that our emergency services keep people safe and give value for money, and deliver our locally agreed priorities.
“It’s not an easy thing to ask taxpayers to pay more and it’s not a decision I make lightly. We now have fire funding in a better place and can begin to focus on improving services like road safety, to reach our objective of zero road deaths in York and North Yorkshire.”
Jo Coles, Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire and Crime, said: “Every day police and fire fighters across our region go above and beyond to keep us all safe.
“David Skaith, the Mayor and I are determined to deliver on our priorities for both the police and fire and rescue services, including improving road safety.
“Tragically every year hundreds of people are killed or seriously injured on our roads. One fatality is one too many, and, working with the road safety partnership, we are committed to doing everything we can to make our roads safer.”
Funding through this year’s precept has supported a 38 per cent increase in home fire safety visits, with nearly 1,500 visits made since April this year. These visits are a vital part of the fire service’s prevention and protection work, helping people reduce the risk of fire in their homes.
Precept contributions have also enabled investment in fire stations and protective equipment, ensuring safe, skilled and supported workforces.
For policing, the precept has helped strengthen neighbourhood policing, and increased support for services tackling violence against women and girls, including the opening in July of a Women’s Centre in Scarborough – a safe space offering support and facilities such as a kitchen, bathroom, and laundry.
Following the consultation, Mayor David Skaith will make his budget proposals to the Police, Fire and Crime Panel in January 2026.
The survey opened on Monday 17 November and closes on Monday 5 January at 10am.
Have your say at yorknorthyorks-ca.gov.uk/precept