Policing bills are set to rise by more than the inflation rate - but

Sussex should see more bobbies on the beat.

The Sussex Police Authority has agreed a budget of £231 million, putting average household taxes up by £5.20 a year, just under five per cent.

The increase is almost 1.25 per cent above inflation.

Last year the police charge, which forms part of council tax bills, increased by 7.5 per cent but even with the latest rise the demand on Sussex householders remains one of the lowest in England and Wales.

Authority members voted unanimously for this year's increase, stressing it amounted to just 10p per week more for a typical Band D council taxpayer.

It will bring the police's share of the tax bill to £110.25. The authority said that would provide an extra officer in each of the 43 neighbourhood policing teams in Sussex.

A spokeswoman said the money would also enable the force to continue to support and train police community support officers (PCSOs). She added: "There are now 200 in Sussex, more than in any other county force."

Some rank and file officers fear PCSOs may be given extra powers in the near future, something they claim amounts to "policing on the cheap".

But Chief Constable Ken Jones is a supporter of PCSOs.

He said: "They reinforce, not replace, other methods of policing and enable police officers to do their job better."

A report to the Sussex Police Authority showed regular police spend less than a quarter of their time on front-line duties.

Mark Dunn, authority chairman, said: "We have agreed a budget that will see real improvements in policing and making Sussex safer.

"To deliver these further improvements at a cost of only 10p a week extra is a real achievement."