Rising policing costs in south Wales set to increase council tax bills

Anthony Lewis, Local Democracy Reporter

The amount people pay for policing in south Wales could increase by almost 7% next year.

Precept proposals for South Wales Police for the 2026/2027 financial year include a potential 6.99% hike which would see residents pay £26.47 a year or £2.21 a month more on a Band D property as part of their council tax bill.

The force covers Cardiff and Swansea as well as Bridgend, Merthyr Tydfil, Neath Port Talbot, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Vale of Glamorgan and, if approved, will have a budget for next year of £442.21m.

Initially, a £27 (7.13%) increase in the precept was proposed to help balance the 2026/27 budget but a report to the South Wales Police and Crime Panel on Tuesday, February 3, said that after careful consideration the police and crime commissioner had decided to propose the 6.99% (£26.47) rise.

This leaves a budget gap of around £280,000 that the force will need to close after initially facing a £16m gap for next year due to unavoidable cost pressures.

The report said South Wales Police had made £72m worth of savings since 2010/2011 which meant there were limited options available in terms of new savings to help balance the budget.

Here is the total precept proposed from each part of the South Wales Police area:

• Cardiff: £63.22m
• Swansea £39.17m
• Bridgend £22.6m
• Merthyr Tydfil: £7.68m
• Neath Port Talbot: £20.15m
• Rhondda Cynon Taf: £32.63m
• Vale of Glamorgan: £26.18m

These would mean that a band A property would pay £270.09, for band B it would be £315.11, band C would be £360.12, band D would be £405.14, band E would be £495.17, band F would pay £585.20, band G would pay £675.23, band H, £810.28 and band I, £945.33.

As far as other forces in Wales are concerned, Gwent is proposing a 6.99% increase, a 7.47% rise has been proposed for Dyfed Powys and a 7.01% increase has been suggested for North Wales.

Recent precepts for South Wales Police have been of 8.69% in 2024/25 and 7.37% in 2025/26.

The report said: “The commissioner, in consultation with the chief constable, and also via public consultation, has considered carefully the level of precept required to either balance the budget or leave the force with a requirement to find further savings on top of the £72m  it has removed from its budget since 2011-12.

“Initially a £27 (7.13%) increase in precept has been sought by the force to
balance the 2026/27 budget.

“Significant due diligence has been performed on the force’s financial management arrangements historically, throughout 2025- 26 and during the current budget setting cycle – the precept increase sought by
the force to balance the budget is not considered unreasonable by the commissioner.”

But it said that after careful consideration the commissioner had decided to propose a precept increase of 6.99% or £26.47 (£2.21 per month) on a band D
property, leaving a gap of £280,000 the force will need to close.

It also said that the force had an established programme in place which “continues to generate productivity gains allowing officers and staff to be redeployed to front line policing.”