RESIDENTS face the stark choice of paying more to sustain the county’s current levels of policing or see them cut.

In a public consultation opened by Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton’s police and crime commissioner (PCC), Michael Lane has called for locals to have their say on what level of contribution they are willing to make towards the cost of local policing.

Mr Lane, elected as PCC in 2016, has offered three options for residents to offer opinions on:

- No increase – this option could affect the level of national funding awarded and would reduce some aspects of current policing because it would be a real terms decrease.

- An increase of £3.19 per year for a band D (1.99 per cent rise) – this would protect the current level of national funding and allow the required increase of resources to deal with the increase in investigations and to meet nationally required standards for firearms, however it would also require Neighbourhood Policing resources to reduce to absorb inflation.

- An increase of £5 per year for a Band D (3.12 per cent rise) – would mean current national funding is protected, allow the current level of neighbourhood policing to be maintained and enable some further enhancements and modernisation to police services.

The public consultation ends on January 20. 

At present, the police generates its funding from central government grants and through council tax bills. 

The government has announced it will protect current police funding levels if the local authority’s PCC increases the precept (amount of council tax paid to the police) by 1.99 per cent.

Mr Lane said: “The amount of funding provided to each police force is determined by a national funding formula and local council tax. The national funding formula is not yet fair. 

“I am committed to being part of the national debate and focusing attention on getting this right. In the immediate term we must work within the envelope of funding that is allocated through the existing formula and the contribution residents make through the local precept.

He added: “While I am recommending the £5 increase, as this will put us in a stronger position to meet the risks and respond to the increasing complexity of crime, I will strive to ensure that residents receive value for money and that effectiveness is not compromised in the pursuit of efficiency.”

To take part in the survey, visit hampshire-pcc.gov.uk/preceptsurvey.