The Government has made much of its commitment to provide money for extra police officers on the beat.

However, complicated funding arrangements, which favour the North rather than the South, mean Sussex is about to miss out.

Sussex Police Authority chairman David Rogers has warned of a £17 million gap, which will have to be met by higher taxes or cutting services.

The Government seems obsessed with ending the North-South divide by clobbering counties like Sussex.

Ever since it came to power, there have been large increases in council tax caused by reductions in the real value of Government grants.

This has meant Sussex councils have had to charge more tax while often reducing services too.

Now it seems Sussex people will have to pay a large amount more in council tax even to keep the police service as it is.

If they want to see the sort of improvements promised by Home Secretary David Blunkett, they will have to pay sums which will be almost impossible to levy.

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, who hails from Hull, seems oblivious to the problems of places such as Sussex towns and villages.

He and Mr Blunkett, who comes from Sheffield, probably view Sussex as a wealthy county and a soft touch.

The police authority and council tax payers should waste no time in telling these two Cabinet ministers it is time to stop bashing Sussex.