South Yorkshire council tax police precept could rise by nearly 7%

South Yorkshire Police will need to make £6.1m in savings from its budget this year, a report shows

South Yorkshire Police expects to pay around £5.8m this year for claims arising from the Hillsborough disaster and sexual exploitation in Rotherham.

The figures are revealed in a budget report by the county's police and crime commissioner which asks for a 6.73% rise in the council tax police precept.

If approved, a Band D property owner would pay £15 more in council tax.

The report adds that the force will have to find £6.1m in savings this year from its budget.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, South Yorkshire's Police and Crime Commissioner Dr Alan Billings said in the report to the police and crime panel that the increase was needed as the force was experiencing rising fuel and energy costs, as well as staff pay increases.

It added that the increase was needed to "invest in the required infrastructure to ensure all officers are fully supported in their journey into the force", and to maintain the current police officers numbers.

Despite the precept increase and proposed savings, the force would have to use £5.8m of its reserves to balance the books this year, the report said.

Dr Alan Billings said in the report that the force would maintain its current number of officers

Additional funding would also be used to improve assets such as technology and estates, it said.

The report will be discussed at a meeting later.

Dr Billings said that almost 3,000 people responded to a consultation about the proposed increase.

"As far as the precept goes, the majority of people have said they are prepared to pay a little more for policing and a sizeable number have said they would be prepared to pay an increase in line with inflation," he said.

"This has come as a surprise to me, given the cost of living crisis; and it is different from the more negative response we had last year."