Consultation launched on police funding for Greater Manchester
Andy Burnham proposes police precept increase to fund new Piccadilly Gardens police hub
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has announced plans to set up a new police hub in Piccadilly Gardens as part of efforts to improve policing in the city region.
To fund this initiative and address a wider financial shortfall for Greater Manchester Police (GMP), businesses and residents are being consulted on proposals to increase the police precept for 2026/27.
The police precept allows council tax to contribute to the funding of GMP, alongside a central government grant. However, the government’s funding settlement for GMP is set to grow by only 2.6% next year, the second lowest increase of any force in England, according to the Mayor’s office.
If approved, the proposed precept increase would see council tax for a Band B property rise by £11.66 a year, or £0.97 a month. For Band D properties, the rise would be £15 annually.
Commitment to safer communities
Funding from past police precept increases has contributed to reductions in crime, including a drop in burglary by 21%, robbery by 16%, and knife crime by 13% in the last year.
GMP has grown its frontline officer numbers, with 8,271 police officers expected to be in place by March 2026. This includes an additional 120 officers under the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, which focuses on tackling local crime and anti-social behaviour.
Recent initiatives funded through precept increases include Operation Vulcan, reducing violent crime by 41% in certain hotspots, and enhanced safety measures on the public transport network. GMP has also seen improvements in response times and public trust, with confidence rising to 65% compared to 61% last year.
Future ambitions
The proposed precept increase for 2026/27 aims to enable further improvements to policing in Greater Manchester. Key initiatives include:
- Establishing a prominent police hub in Piccadilly Gardens
- Expanding neighbourhood policing to reduce crime throughout the region
- Enhancing crime prevention efforts through the use of Clean Air Zone ANPR cameras
- Rolling out Operation Vulcan to additional sites to combat persistent criminal activity
- Creating a new Hate Crime Standard to encourage more reports of hate crime
- Improving the rate of convictions for sex offenders and domestic abuse perpetrators
Mayor Andy Burnham emphasised the need for proper funding to maintain GMP’s capability to respond effectively to crime and the region’s growing challenges.
“The cost of running a modern police force is going up and this is at a time when our city region has become the fastest-growing economy in the UK, with visitor numbers increasing year after year," Burnham said.
“Right now, this increase is our only option to ensure GMP can continue delivering an effective police service that ensures that people feel safe in their own communities.”
Deputy Mayor for Safer and Stronger Communities Kate Green echoed this sentiment, saying, “We hugely appreciate people’s precept contributions and remain committed to ensuring that that money is used to deliver an effective police service for everyone in Greater Manchester.”
The consultation is now live and runs until 21st January. Responses can be submitted through the GM Consult website.