MERSEYSIDE Police and Crime Commissioner and Chief Constable will host a special public meeting this week at which the police’s budget will be set for the year ahead.

Balancing Merseyside Police’s budget is one of Emily Spurrell’s most critical roles and she will be joined by the Chief Constable, Rob Carden, this Friday, 20 February 2026, for the meeting at which they will formally agree Merseyside Police’s budget for 2026/27.

Each year, the PCC must propose a balanced budget which is scrutinised by the body which reviews her work, the Police and Crime Panel. At a meeting last week, Panel members unanimously endorsed Emily’s plan to help protect Merseyside Police and maintain vital services in the year ahead.

In December 2025, the Government announced that Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) would again be expected to raise the police precept - the portion of council tax which is dedicated to policing.

For a Band A household, which represents the majority of homes in Merseyside, the increase equates to 19p a week, or £10 a year. This will generate an additional £6.1m for local policing. However, this increase along with the additional funding received from the Government does not meet the full cost of pay and inflationary pressures for 2026/27.

Even with this vital extra funding provided, the Chief Constable will need to make £8.9m of savings to balance the books in the year ahead.

Despite these financial challenges, Merseyside Police continues to achieve strong results. Between April and December 2025, homicides fell by more than 38% compared to the previous year. In the same period, antisocial behaviour dropped by more than 10%, and vehicle crime by more than 61%.

Merseyside’s Police Commissioner Emily Spurrell said:- “My priority is ensuring Merseyside Police has the resources it needs to keep our communities safe and is in the strongest possible position for the year ahead. This year the Home Office increased the amount of funding available to us and I’m grateful to the public for supporting the proposal to increase the precept, and to the Police and Crime Panel for unanimously endorsing these plans." 

She continued:- "This year’s budget is focused on maintaining and strengthening the visible policing presence that people across Merseyside tell us they value. The Chief Constable has made that a clear priority and these proposals support him in delivering on it. We’ve seen some really encouraging reductions in crime in the past year, in particular fewer people losing their lives to murder or manslaughter. This budget is designed to help continue that progress. I will do everything I can to protect local policing and keep our communities safe and that means continuing to lobby the Government for fair, sustainable funding for our Region. In the meantime, anyone interested in how police funding works - where it comes from and how it is spent - is welcome to attend this public meeting.”

The meeting will take place 10.00-11.30am on:- Friday, 20 February 2026 at the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, on Mather Avenue, Liverpool, L18 9TG.

Anyone wishing to attend to observe this meeting must register in advance either by email: info@merseysidepcc.info or calling:- 0151 777 5155.