POLICE number crunchers were putting the final touches to their draft budget this week.

The final figures were being kept under wraps until the authority's budget meeting on February 14 but, as previously reported, it does not look like good news for Council Tax payers.

The Home Office has claimed a 3.4 per cent increase in funding for Cumbria will help forces deliver an "effective and efficient" police service.

But this figure compared unfavourably to other shire forces such as Cheshire and Lancashire, which both received 4.9 per cent.

Cumbria Constabulary's Chief Constable Michael Baxter has said the force is considering a 20 per cent Council Tax increase to bridge a funding gap at the authority.

The rise would cost a band D home-owner £121 annually up £20 on last year.

Mr Baxter said the force would be facing a stark choice between front line resources and Council Tax levels as the lion's share of government funding had been targeted at national initiatives, such as counter terrorism and street crime.

A 20 per cent rise would be enough to cover inflation and unavoidable costs but a £6.5 million wish-list of policing improvements, such as 24-hour cover of the national police computer, additional custody sergeants and scenes of crime officers, had already been whittled down to £444,000.

February 7, 2003 09:00