FIGURES from the Home Office show council tax payers in Dorset are paying 5 per cent more towards the police than the previous year.

Council taxpayers will pay £88 million to fund Dorset Police in 2024-25, up 5 per cent from the £84 million paid the year before.

This is equivalent to 49 per cent of the whole funding for policing in Dorset and the highest figure since local records began in 2015-16.

In total, Dorset Police will receive £180 million – up from £167 million in 2023-24.

Dorset Police and crime commissioner David Sidwick said: "Since I came to office in 2021, I have been relentlessly lobbying for a fairer funding deal for Dorset.

“I have repeatedly called for the government to consider 'seasonality and sparsity' - how busy our officers are especially over summer, along with the size and rurality of the county.

"Dorset welcomes 13 million visitors on day trips and 1.8 million on holiday each year. Our county comprises many rural communities across a large land mass, but these complexities are not currently taken in account by the existing funding formula.

"Dorset remains one of the least funded forces from a national government grant. Some forces receive 80 per cent of their funding from the central government but in Dorset, it is closer to 50 per cent, with the rest raised through council tax contributions. This unfairness is widely recognised both by His Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary, the Police Federation and Police and Crime Commissioners.

"It is very frustrating for me - alongside other PCC's across the country - to see these funding discrepancies and know our county needs - and deserves - more. This year, the policing precept for 2024/25 increased by £13 a year for Band D households.

“It is never an easy decision to raise taxes, and I recognise the impact this has on people's household incomes when many are feeling the pinch more than ever before. It is not a measure I take lightly.

"I want to be clear; the issue over how our Force is funded is not new and will be no secret to many Dorset residents, especially those who regularly engage with our annual precept survey.

“This year, two-thirds of those who responded, indicated they would be willing to pay more than the capped £13 increase to support us, and I thank them for their support.

"All information around the precept is also held to account through Dorset's Police and Crime Panel, via our website, and in the precept leaflet which is delivered through every door in Dorset each year along with the council tax letter.

“Making Every Penny Count is a key priority of my Police and Crime Plan. As part of this, I will continue to robustly scrutinise the Force to ensure any proposed efficiencies and cost-savings do not adversely impact the quality of service residents receive.

“Dorset is one of the safest places to live in the country, and I will keep fighting to ensure we get our fair share of funding to achieve my mission of making it the safest.”