ESSEX residents will pay on average £9.90 more a year to boost police numbers across the county.

Members of the Police, Fire and Crime Panel have agreed the budget for policing and fire and rescues services recommended by Roger Hirst, Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex.

The policing precept on the average council tax bill will increase by just under five per cent, the equivalent to £9.90 a year for a Band D property.

The increase will allow Essex Police to recruit 184 more officers.

There will not be an increase in the Fire and Rescue element of council tax as there is not the same urgent need for an increase as investment for the service will be met from current reserves.

Mr Hirst said: “As a country we are under intense financial pressure, and every penny we spend needs to make a difference.

"We also need to set out clearly what the public can expect to see as a result of this extra funding.

“I have been through the budgets for both services with the Chief Officers and am convinced that today’s support for my budget proposals will get the result we want.

"We have also continued to improve the efficiency of both services and the Essex Police budget alone includes £3.5m additional efficiency savings that will be reinvested in the frontline.

“These budgets mean Essex will be an even safer and more secure county and will help deliver the services that the public want and that are set out as priorities in both my Police and Crime Plan and Fire and Rescue Plan."

Mr Hirst said he had minimised increase as much as possible in recognition of the hardship being faced by so many because of the coronavirus pandemic.

He said: "As we emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic it is more vital than ever that we continue to support our emergency services.

"This investment in policing will continue to push back crime and creates the safe and secure communities that are the bedrock on which communities flourish and businesses grow and prosper.

"The police and fire and rescue services are essential to creating the environment we all need and where we can build back better and stronger than ever before.

“Over the last few years, we have provided the funding to enable Essex Police to recruit more than 500 extra officers.

"These officers have strengthened our response to serious violence, exploitation and gangs, they have transformed our community policing teams, introduced Town Centre Teams, the Rural Crime Team and the Business Crime Team and shifted the focus of policing in our county from managing demand to proactively preventing crime.

"This has resulted in significant reductions in burglary, theft and anti-social behaviour and early signs that we are successfully fighting back against the scourge of violent crime in our communities. It is working. This budget will take that increase to over 700 additional officers.

“We know times are tough, so we are not using all the precept increase permitted for policing or increasing the precept for the fire and rescue service.

"We will use the proportion we need, so we can continue our fight to push down crime and create the communities we all need to prosper.”