Police boss defends rise in rates

Under the proposals, West Midlands Police's share of council tax - known as the precept - could go up by 1.99 per cent, generating an extra £1.5 million a year in funds.

This would be an increase of under £2 for most of the region's households.

Commissioner David Jamieson this week told a meeting of the West Midlands Police and Crime panel that the need to create a cushion due to cuts in Government funding and the need to recruit 450 officers by 2017.

Mr Jamieson told the meeting held at Sandwell Council House: "Substantial recruitment is only been done in West Midlands and the Met and we want to ensure that the budget will allow us to do that.

"We are still losing more people than we are putting in at the other end. There is still a net reduction of officers notwithstanding the recruitment. If we do not put up the precept we will lose out in the long-term.

"Over 10 years we could generate £15 million. With all of the pressures that officers are facing we do not feel that we could do without that amount of money."

The force also wants to create 83 civilian posts to avoid taking police officers from front-line duties. These new jobs will be to cover its new front desk and cell block arrangements at stations.

But new Dudley panel member, Councillor Les Jones demanded to know how the force had accrued £150m in its reserves at a time of 'unprecedented' cuts in funding from the Government.

The commission's finance officer Mike Williams told members that £40m will be spent on the force's capital programme to avoid borrowing costs, while £60m will be used to support the budget and recruitment.

Mr Williams said: "There will come a point when we get to the cliff's edge. Grants could be reduced and there will need to be a cushion to deal with that. That is where the remaining balance will come in."

He also said that the 83 staff posts would otherwise be filled by police officers. And there were 'no plans to remove the traditional custody sergeants' role'.

He added that a final decision on the budget would be made next month, depending on responses from the Black Country councils, Birmingham, Solihull and Coventry.

Last year, more than 4,000 people applied for 450 new roles within the organisation after a five-year recruitment freeze ended. A total of 84 people have made it through the first wave and training is under way.