Ratepayers in Essex will be asked if they’re prepared to pay £12 extra a year in order to put 150 new police officers on the county’s streets.

Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, Roger Hirst, is proposing a council tax increase of 7.6 per cent in order to fund new officers for local policing.

The increase in the force’s precept would add an average of £12 onto each household’s council tax bill and would raise an additional £7.5 million.

Mr Hirst added “It is clear from every public meeting that I attend and from the many officers and members of the public that I talk to, that people want more police officers in their local areas and are prepared to pay to see them.

“I promised in my election manifesto to focus on more local, visible policing and I am determined to deliver on this and help to create the safe and secure communities people want and deserve.

The crime commissioner says a recent survey carried out by his office revealed three-quarters of Essex residents were prepared to pay an extra £10 a year to improve police funding.

He insisted that, if approved, the money would be used to raise the number of officers in the county to at least 3,000 by May 2019, “focused overwhelmingly” on local policing.

The precept increase will be proposed at the meeting of the Police, Fire and Crime Panel taking place on January 22 at Essex County Hall.