THE public have backed plans to raise Hampshire’s police precept tax in a bid to get more cash to frontline officers.

Michael Lane, the police and crime commissioner for Hampshire, revealed that 76 per cent of responses to the public consultation were in favour of the £2 per month rise.

The plans were due to be presented to the police and crime panel today (Friday) for approval.

If pushed through, locals will pay an extra £24 per year (for a Band D property) to the force through their local council tax.

Mr Lane has promised that the money will protect recruiting and training and see an additional 200 police officers and 60 police staff investigators join the force.

The proposals have also gained support from Hampshire Constabulary’s Chief Constable Olivia Pinkney, the Hampshire Police Federation, UNISON, and local Neighbourhood Watch teams.

In thanking all those who took part in the consultation, Mr Lane said: “The consultation has shown that the community value the police and that they recognise that the service is stretched and in need of additional resources.

“Delivering modern operationally effective policing to keep us safe and defeat the greatest threats while responding to community priorities is not an easy task in times of financial constraint, growing complexity and necessary change programmes to try to keep us ahead of criminals and those who wish us harm.

“I am clear, and the Chief Constable is clear in her recommendations to me, that to protect current police services we must take full advantage of the settlement. All of the increase in the policing precept will be used to support local policing and will enable the recruitment of just over 200 officers.”

In adding her thanks to those members of the public who expressed their support for policing, Chief Constable Pinkney said: “The constabulary has been consulted and supports this budget. Focusing on detecting and preventing high-harm offences is crucial to our local policing service, and investing to improve our investigations capability will see more victims of the most serious crimes get justice.

“Many criminals deliberately operate away from the public eye. They cause misery themselves and create the conditions for young and vulnerable people to get involved in drugs, violence and lower-level crime. This has a very visible impact on our communities. These plans set us on the right track to tackle this.

“Without the additional local funding that our police and crime commissioner is recommending, police numbers would be reduced to an unsustainable level. With this funding we can push ahead with plans to recruit 200 officers and more police staff investigators.”

The proposals also received a positive reception from the Hampshire Police Federation.

Alex Charge, chairman of the federation, added: “While we would want central Government to provide 100 per cent of funding for policing, this is not the case.

“Hampshire Police Federation welcomes the tax precept increase and the agreement that all this money will be spent on policing.

“It’s not a solution to the funding crisis but it is a lifeline that Hampshire needs.”

In a letter to the commissioner in December, Margaret Filley, president of the Neighbourhood Watch Association for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, was also supportive.

“In your recent budget statement you have suggested raising the precept to its maximum amount across areas covered by Hampshire Constabulary,” she wrote.

“This is very welcome. Neighbourhood Watch shares your intent in creating ‘safer communities’ as our prime focus.

“This extra funding for the constabulary will enable the Chief Constable to better prepare for current and future threats in an ever more complex and changing crime landscape.”