HAMPSHIRE Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones is proposing a 4.4 per cent rise in Hampshire Constabulary’s share of the 2022-23 council tax bill.

This equates to a headline figure of £10 for a Band D property. Ms Jones will put her case for the rise – which would give Hampshire Constabulary an extra £9m for 2022-23 – to the Hampshire Police and Crime Panel tomorrow (Friday).

She consulted 4,340 members of the public about the proposal, including 3,814 who responded to her own online survey. Of 3,754 who answered the question about if they were willing to pay an extra 4.4 per cent to support policing and prevent crime, 2,392 – or 64 per cent – said they would.

Ms Jones said: “This will help to support the delivery of the priorities set out in my Police and Crime Plan More Police, Safer Streets including the recruitment of 196 new police officers, improvements to 101 to reduce call waiting times and improve feedback, modern, improved and safe police buildings, and additional commissioning funds to prevent crime, divert young people away from crime and improve services for victims.”