Residents are being asked whether they would be prepared to pay more to fund policing in Sussex.
Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne has launched a consultation to find out if the public would be willing to support a precept increase in 2015/16.
The proposed increase of 1.98 per cent would mean that a family living in a Band D property would pay an extra £2.79 per year for policing.
Ms Bourne said: “In my first year in office, I fulfilled my election pledge to freeze the precept. Last year taxpayers told me they would support a precept increase of 3.6 per cent, which equates to an additional £4.95 per year per household for a Band D property. 67 per cent of those who responded to the consultation supported an increase in the precept.
“The Police and Crime Panel – who hold the important role of scrutinising my decisions – also endorsed the proposed rise. However, due to a limit, set nationally, on the amount the precept could rise before triggering a costly referendum, I was only able to increase the precept in Sussex by 1.95 per cent (£2.70 per household per year). Despite this, good progress has been achieved in those areas of operational policing that required additional investment.
“However, the Chief Constable has set out a business case for additional funds in 2015/16 to meet the shortfall from last year.”
To register your views visit www.sussex-pcc.gov.uk/public-consultations/