LANCASHIRE’S police and crime commissioner is to propose a 1.99 per cent increase in the police precept of council tax.

Clive Grunshaw said he had received ‘overwhelming support’ for the hike, which will see the average price of a Band D property’s bill increase by 6p per week.

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The proposal comes on the back of a six-week consultation, which gathered comments from more than 2,400 people from across the county.

Mr Grunshaw presented plans to the police and crime panel at a meeting last night.

He said: “Lancashire residents have told me by three to one that they support an increase in the council tax precept to help fund police.

“More than 2,400 people had their say as part of the extensive consultation, which is up 600 responses on previous years, which just goes to show how strongly people feel about their police.”

In total, 75 per cent of the respondents supported an increase of more than two per cent with 52 per cent prepared to pay up to an extra five per cent to help reduce the cuts to police budgets this year.

The remaining 25 per cent said they wanted to freeze the charge.

Mr Grunshaw added: “When I took up office I made a pledge to be the voice of local people when it comes to policing and the consultation has helped me understand what our residents’ want.

“I explained that raising the precept is one way we can help mitigate some, but not all, of the cuts we face.

“An increase of two per cent is worth £1.2 million to the police budget.”

To up the precept by five per cent, which would be worth £3.1 million, the commissioner would have to legally conduct a referendum, which would cost an estimated £1.5 million.

This amount would have to come out of any extra money brought in by raising the precept.

Lancashire Police has to cut £80 million from its budget by 2017.

So far, £60 million of savings have been identified – leaving £20 million still to cut. Concerns have been raised this will mean cutting the number of frontline officers.

The committee, which meets tonight at county hall, in Preston, has until February 8 to decide whether to accept the plan.