Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez is asking for a £15-a-year on average increase in the policing element of council tax today, January 30, 2026, for households across Devon and Cornwall — a rise she says is needed to plug an estimated £3 million shortfall and avoid what her office describes as the equivalent loss of 47 police officers. The proposal was due to be considered by the Devon and Cornwall Police and Crime Panel on 30 January 2026 and, if approved, would take effect in April 2026.
The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner says the central government funding settlement for 2026–27 is among the lowest nationally and that, even with the precept increase, the force faces a budget gap of around £3m. Hernandez and her briefing note say the reduction in recruitment-linked grant funding (halved from £5m to £2.5m) is a key driver of the shortfall.
In Torquay the extra money is intended in part to sustain the Street Focus project, which targets shoplifting, antisocial behaviour and other street-level crime around Castle Circus and the town centre. Hernandez’s office says hotspot policing and related schemes have delivered thousands of hours of additional foot patrols and other interventions in the town.
Hernandez’s materials note that local taxpayers already fund about 43% of the policing budget in Devon and Cornwall, a much higher share than the national average. Some local councillors have expressed concern about the cost to households; Cllr Ric Cheadle, deputy leader of West Devon Borough Council, warned that ‘every pound is going to be vitally important to families trying to balance their budgets.’
The Police and Crime Panel has the statutory power to veto the commissioner’s precept proposal (a veto requires a two‑thirds majority). The PCC’s office and the Commissioner have framed the rise as necessary to maintain current frontline resources and service levels in the face of a reduced central settlement.
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