MERSEYSIDE'S police commissioner wants your views on a proposed £10 a year rise in Council Tax precept to help put more bobbies on the beat.

Jane Kennedy says the additional money would help balance the Merseyside Police budget for 2021/22 and ensure the Force can recruit 160 more officers in the year ahead.

The increase equates to approximately 19p a week or £10 a year for a Band A household, the lowest Council Tax category and the one paid by the majority of council tax payers on Merseyside.

Public consultation has been launched.

Jane Kennedy said: "While the Government have increased the amount of money available for policing, there is also a very clear expectation from the Government that local tax payers should help towards policing, supporting the police recruitment drive and ensuring we can balance the books for another year.

"From 2010 the government's policy of austerity forced cuts of £110m, and there are potentially further savings to make over the next three years.

"The size of our police Force reduced by a quarter, meaning 1,110 fewer police officers were patrolling the region’s streets by the end of the decade.

"However, in the last year and following the launch of Operation Uplift, the Chief Constable and I have finally been able to create new posts and recruit more officers to strengthen Merseyside Police and protect our communities.

"The Chief Constable and I have done everything we could to accelerate our recruitment drive and, by March 2021, 500 more officers will be patrolling the streets of Merseyside.

"This is good news however, the Force will still be a long way short of the numbers it had in 2010.

"We are ready and keen to recruit a further 160 police officers in the next year, however following the Government's announcement it is clear that we will need the public’s help if we are to achieve this.

"I know the public of Merseyside want more, not fewer police officers.

"Like last year, by paying a little more they can be assured that they will get more, more police officers, more police teams, working for us, in our communities.

"I am aware that local people are already heavily burdened in what has been a terrible year of disaster and anxiety, but I hope they will be willing to pay an extra 19p a week to help stabilise the Force’s budget and ensure we can recruit 160 new officers in the next 12 months."

To have your say on the proposal, visit www.MerseysidePCCpreceptsurvey.co.uk

The public consultation ends on Sunday, January 31.