TAXPAYERS could end up paying a smaller police precept in their council tax when Cumbria Constabulary is merged with another police authority.

Cumbria Police Authority chairman Reg Watson told a full meeting of Cumbria County Council it would be likely Cumbrians could be paying less when levels were "aggregated".

The meeting decided that it would prefer to merge with just Lancashire, omitting, Merseyside, if, as expected, the merger went ahead.

Go to News - Vote to have your say on the merger, and visit our new Crime Watch section, also in News. Links below.