A hike in council tax by Warwickshire Police was a "reluctant choice" but was "necessary to maintain public safety" the commissioner has said.

Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Seccombe's words come after Warwickshire's Police and Crime Panel approved a 4.94 per cent rise in the police precept of council tax.

The move was signed off this week as part of a £185 million funding plan for the local force.

The increase will equate to £15 a year for the average band D property.

Mr Seccombe said: "This was not an easy decision, and I fully understand the pressures facing household budgets.

"However, the Government's funding settlement assumes every PCC will take the maximum rise, and without doing so Warwickshire Police would have been forced to find millions of pounds in additional savings.

"That would have risked a clear reduction in service for communities, at a time when we know they want to see improvements in response times, visibility of officers and the quality of investigations.

"The Home Office itself acknowledges that the current police funding formula, which decides how much of the national pot we receive, is not fit for purpose.

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"Independent scrutiny by the National Audit Office also confirms that Warwickshire is the most disadvantaged force in the country in terms of grant funding per head."

Mr Seccombe said the new budget will help improve response times, protect neighbourhood policing and deliver £2 million in efficiency savings.

Warwickshire County Council and Warwick District Council will this week fix council tax rates for 2026/27.