DORSET residents are being urged to complete a survey about a potential increase in policing costs in the county.

Residents are being asked to help cover the policing costs of Covid-19 by paying an extra £1.25 a month in next year’s council tax bill.

And people can give their views on the proposal in a survey.

Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner Martyn Underhill says the proposed increase to the police precept, the element of a monthly council tax bill that funds policing, will enable Dorset Police to deliver a balanced budget and pay for additional costs, some of which have been created as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

If approved, the figure would see those living in a Band D property paying an additional £15 a year for policing in the county. Last year’s Band D police precept was set at £240.58.

Mr Underhill said: "Police forces have faced considerable budgetary pressures in recent years with the need to manage more demand, real-terms cuts to funding and a number of nationally imposed costs.

"I remain immensely frustrated that the financial burden for policing is being passed to local taxpayers once again. I have consistently argued that the funding settlement is unfair to smaller forces like ours, which has to make up almost half of its budgets through local taxation.

"Although I have already said I will not be standing in next year’s PCC elections, I will use my remaining months in office to continue demanding a fairer settlement for Dorset Police, which remains one of the lowest funded forces in the country.

"Please take two minutes to complete my survey here and tell me what you think."

The survey can be found at surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6XMG28N