RESIDENTS in Tynedale are set to pay £24 more a year to fund policing in the area.

Following the government’s decision to put the responsibility of paying for policing on to council tax payers, Northumbria Police and crime commissioner Dame Vera Baird asked members of the public to pay 31p a week more towards policing for a Band A property or 46p per week more towards policing for a Band D property to fund Northumbria Police.

A consultation carried out by Northumbria Police found nearly 90 per cent of residents want to see more investment in policing.

The decision was approved unanimously last Tuesday by the Police and Crime Panel, which is made up of two members from each of the local authorities which cover the Northumbria Police force and two independent members.

Dame Vera said: “The Chief Constable and I continue to take tough decisions every day to make ends meet – we have listened carefully to local residents and we will invest the money into policing including new officers and police staff.”

Northumbria Police warned that they would face a deficit of £9.4 million in the year ahead if the increase did not go ahead. The cost of delivering policing in Northumbria is the lowest in England and Wales at £134.33 for Band D properties compared to the England and Wales average at around £219.19.