POLICING in Cambridgeshire is likely to cost Council Tax payers 5 per cent more. Members of Cambridgeshire Police Authority's finance and resource committee say the increase means a 13 pence-a-week increase for a Band D property. The committee has been to

POLICING in Cambridgeshire is likely to cost Council Tax payers 5 per cent more. Members of Cambridgeshire Police Authority's finance and resource committee say the increase means a 13 pence-a-week increase for a Band D property. The committee has been told that the Government would cap any rise above 5 per cent. Authority chairman Michael Williamson said that working out the budget had been complex as it is being worked out on a two-year plan. He said: "We have had to keep an eye on the budget for 2007-08 which we realise will cause us serious concerns while trying to stay below the capping threshold for 2006-07." Mr Williamson said the authority had worked hard to identify savings which will not have any "perceptible effect" on front-line services. "We can assure everyone that our priorities in the light of a tight budget reflect our determination to invest in front-line policing services," he said. Investments will include continuing having Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) and wider neighbourhood policing. Mr Williamson said the authority would be taking some cash from its reserves to pay for growth in areas which it sees as essential. These include staff training and improving communications. The authority has recently examined its reserves and believes that between £5-£7 million can be released. - The Home Office has withdrawn £1.9 million from the authority for 2006-07.