Policing £15 council tax increase proposed for York and North Yorkshire
Mayor plans to protect frontline services and reduce crime in the region
Last updated 31st Jan 2026
The Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, David Skaith, has proposed a £15 annual increase in council tax for Band D properties to fund frontline policing.
The plan will be discussed at the Police, Fire and Crime Panel in York, set for the 5th February at 10.30am, where members will consider the precept for the 2026/27 financial year.
According to Skaith, the increase is intended to maintain recent progress in crime reduction, with assurances from the region’s police chief showing over 1,000 fewer people becoming victims in the past year and a 15% reduction in anti-social behaviour.
The additional funding would help uphold neighbourhood policing and community visibility while sustaining efforts to minimise crime in the area.
Skaith said, “Our emergency services do an amazing job keeping us safe. It’s vital they have the resources to do that well, but I’m also mindful that when family finances are tight, every pound of public money must be spent wisely.”
He added, “Our priority is keeping people in York and North Yorkshire safe... We have doubled the Mayor’s Community Fund for early intervention and prevention, enabling more community projects to stop crime before it happens, support vulnerable people and strengthen neighbourhoods across our region.”
A public consultation saw nearly 3,000 responses, with 66% backing an increase of £14 or more to ensure services can meet unavoidable cost pressures.
Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire and Crime, Jo Coles, highlighted challenges caused by government funding constraints and stressed accountability in delivering value to taxpayers. Coles said, “We’ve sought clear assurances from the Chief Constable that efficiencies, productivity improvements and modernisation will continue... We have written to the Home Secretary to ensure national policing reforms announced this week will protect rural policing and strong local accountability.”
Should the proposal be approved, the funding would support neighbourhood policing teams across York and North Yorkshire and continue recent crime reduction progress, including a 3.4% decrease in total crime last year and improved emergency response standards.
For details on the February panel or the public consultation results, visit the links shared by the Mayor’s office.