Public can apply to become West Yorkshire Police officer for first time in five years

Police attend the scene of a double death on Cross Road in Bradford. Pic: Ross parry

West Yorkshire Police is to recruit from the general public for the first time in five years after getting approval to raise its share of council tax by 3.6 per cent.

Police and crime commissioner Mark Burns-Williamson says the force, which has lost around a fifth of its workforce since 2010, will be recruiting around 300 officers over the next year.

It is the fourth of Yorkshire’s forces to announce a recruitment drive in the last week, following a better-than-expected funding settlement from Chancellor George Osborne in November’s spending review announcement.

Local forces nationwide had been expecting cuts of between 25 and 40 per cent, but were instead told their funding would be protected.

It later emerged that they would get a similar level of funding to the previous year if they raised their share of the council tax precept by 1.99 per cent - the maximum allowed without triggering a costly referendum.

West Yorkshire and South Yorkshire Police were both allowed to increase the police share of local council tax bills by a high amount, because they were among the forces that had historically kept council tax low.

The police and crime panel, which scrutinises the crime commissioner, today approved Mr Burn-Williamson’s proposal to increase the precept by 3.6 per cent. This is the equivalent of £5 extra a year for a Band D council tax payer.