Commissioner seeks views on funding the future police and fire response in Essex

The Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (PFCC) for Essex, Roger Hirst, is asking residents for their views to develop key proposals to fund policing and the fire and rescue service in 2027/28.

Residents, businesses, community groups and people who work or travel in Essex are being encouraged to complete the PFCC’s Precept Survey and help shape decisions about the council tax contributions made towards both major frontline public services.

The survey can be completed here: https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/t/PFCCPrecept2027-28/

It opens on the 14th of October 2026 and will run for four weeks until the 11th of November 2026. An option to extend the survey for a further two weeks until the 25th of November 2026 can then be taken.

The consultation comes at a challenging time for both services. Essex Police is the third-lowest-funded force per head of population in England and Wales, according to the HMICFRS 2025 Value for Money Profiles. The current national funding formula means the force relies more heavily on income raised locally through the policing precept to maintain services and meet public expectations.

Essex County Fire and Rescue Service also faces significant financial pressure. Under the final Local Government Finance Settlement, central-government settlement funding will fall by £1.78 million, or 4.7%, in 2027/28 compared with 2026/27. The reduction over the three-year settlement period totals £3.3 million.

Both services work closely with the PFCC to make every pound count, managing tight budgets while prioritising the people, equipment and training needed to keep Essex safe. The survey is positioned with that context in mind and is an opportunity for residents to consider how to meet that constant challenge as the focus rightly is on funding operational delivery to keep us all safe.

Roger Hirst, Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex, said:

“This is your opportunity to have your say about the future funding of your police and fire and rescue services. I know household finances remain under pressure, which is why it is important that we hear directly from residents before decisions are made.

“There is still more that needs to be done to reduce anti-social behaviour and crime in Essex. Significant progress has been made, but I know that residents want more action to be taken. It is, however, true that since the high point in September 2019, recorded crime in Essex has fallen by 15 per cent. When you compare the data now with statistics from 2016, homicide and burglary have halved, anti-social behaviour has fallen by two-thirds, and knife crime has reduced by 24 per cent since 2019. There is no complacency because the reality today is that overall crime has increased by 2 per cent in the 12 months to August 2026, so getting the funding and overarching budget decisions right is crucial to support efforts to arrest that recent trend.

“Firefighters had to contend with exceptional and sustained demand during the summer. Between the 25th of May and the 23rd of August, fire and rescue crews attended 6,580 incidents, 14 per cent more than the previous summer peak in 2022 and 36 per cent above the 2021 to 2025 average. The planning assumption is that what happened in the summer was not a one-off in terms of seasonal incident demand. That underlines the complexity of the operational environment and the need to get the decision on the fire precept right.

“My priority has always been to maintain a strong overall frontline capability, ensuring resources are directed to reducing crime and fires. Police officers, firefighters, control operators and staff also need the best technology, equipment and support that is available.

“The truth is that Essex continues to receive an unfair share of national policing funding. I will continue to lobby the Government for a funding settlement that properly reflects the needs of our growing county. That is why understanding whether residents support continuing to invest locally to protect current service levels matters.

“Please take a few minutes to complete the survey. Your views matter and will inform what steps are taken to fund action on policing and firefighting priorities in Essex.”

Policing precept proposals

The Commissioner is seeking views on a range of precept proposals intended to help:

• sustain frontline policing;

• support the wellbeing and development of officers, control operators and staff;

• invest in technology and infrastructure to improve efficiency; and

• keep Essex a safe place in which to live, work and visit.

Despite the longer-term reduction in crime, the latest figures for August 2026 show that overall recorded crime increased by 2% during the preceding 12 months.

In the year to the end of August 2026 Essex Police solved 1,986 more offences than the year before, an increase of 8.6%. During the same period Essex Police made 33,685 arrests, up from 30,843 the year before (2,843 more) and secured 17,170 charges, up from 14,664 (2,506 more).

The Commissioner is seeking residents’ views on maintaining investment so that Essex Police can protect frontline services and continue working towards further reductions in crime.

Fire and rescue precept proposals

Essex County Fire and Rescue Service responds to emergencies across the county from 50 fire stations, supported by a dedicated Urban Search and Rescue facility. The Service also works to prevent harm, helping people stay safe at home, supporting businesses to meet their fire safety responsibilities and working with partners to prevent road and water incidents.

The demands facing the Service are increasing as climate change brings greater risks from wildfires and flooding. This summer, crews attended 1,605 outdoor fires between 25 May and 23 August, 29% more than in summer 2025. Overall incident totals exceeded 500 in each of seven consecutive weeks.

To meet increasing demand and rapidly changing risks, the Service’s plans for 2027/28 include seven additional wholetime firefighters to improve daytime fire-engine availability, alongside investment in a new firefighter training centre. These investments would strengthen frontline response and support the safety-critical training crews need.

ECFRS has saved £7.2 million over five years and is going further through Funding our Ambition. This three-year programme reviews how the service operates and uses its resources, so every pound delivers the greatest benefit to public safety.

Delivering the planned investment in firefighters and training depends on the precept decision. The Commissioner is seeking residents’ views to help inform that decision.

Residents continue to support investment in policing and fire and rescue

A total of 1,710 people completed the precept survey last year.

Of those who answered the relevant questions:

• 85% said they would like to see more investment in policing in their community;

• 84% were prepared to increase their investment in policing;

• 57% said they would like to see more investment in fire and rescue in their community; and

• 81% were prepared to increase their investment in fire and rescue services.

The results from this year’s survey will be independently analysed and used to inform discussions at the Police, Fire and Crime Panel’s pre-budget meeting on the 8th of December 2026.

To take part, visit this link to access the survey, which only takes a few minutes to complete: https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/t/PFCCPrecept2027-28/

Anyone who would like a paper copy or an alternative format can email PFCC@essex.police.uk or telephone 01245 291600.

The PFCC Essex encourages responses from people of all backgrounds and communities across Essex to ensure the widest range of views are reflected in the decision-making process.