Residents look certain to pay more for the police in their 2017/18 council tax bills.

Herts police and crime commissioner David Lloyd is proposing a 3.4 per cent increase in the police precept - the proportion of council tax which pays for the service.

But he stressed that it was the first time the precept had risen in six years and it would only amount to around £5 a year for the average householder.

He put the proposed increase down to the £1.5 million reduction in money that the police authority received from the government and delays in implementing a major regional IT programme which meant anticipated savings of several million pounds had been put back.

Mr Lloyd said: “If the precept does not rise, the Chief Constable tells me he can only reach the required savings by reducing local policing teams.”

The rise in the police precept - which makes up 10 per cent of overall council tax bills - would generate an additional £2.175 million of income in 2017/18.

Mr Lloyd added: “This rise will ensure that taxpayers continue to receive a first class policing service that protects the public from harm and delivers a service that is value for money.”