FIVE pounds is to be added to the cost of the average council tax bill to raise more funds for policing in the region.

Proposals for a 3.2 per cent increase in the amount charged by Tony Lloyd, Greater Manchester's Police and Crime Commissioner, were approved by the police and crime panel that oversees his work.

The rise for the 2016/17 financial year, which begins in April, will push the average policing element of the typical council tax to £157.30p.

Mr Lloyd said afterwards: "While the Government is beginning to listen and recognise they have gone too far we still need to find more than £70m in savings. This is in the face of £180m already cut from GMP, rising crime, and with officers increasingly dealing with complex issues such as child sexual exploitation and cyber crime.

"Even though the government has pledged not to cut police budgets further, their complex calculations are based on local people paying more. So if I don’t increase the council tax we will have to cut more from frontline policing.

"Local people want, and deserve, a strong and sustainable police service keeping them and their homes safe. I’m glad that council leaders and the community are supporting me in this decision.

"The increase –just an extra 10p a week – will raise an additional £3.5m, which is the equivalent to 70 police officers."

The sums levied by Bolton Council and Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Services have not yet been decided but both are thought to be considering a rise.

Three quarters of the 300 people who took part in January's consultation on Mr Lloyd's proposals endorsed an increase.

Mr Lloyd said: "I’d like to thank all those who took the time to respond to the consultation and, whether you agreed or not, all your comments have been considered. I’m happy to say that the vast majority of people who had their say agree that this is the right thing to do."

In preparing his budget for 2016/17, Mr Lloyd said Greater Manchester suffers 70 crimes per 1,000 residents against a national average of 58 per 1,000.

GMP received more priority calls, relative to population, than any police force in England and Wales - at 192 against a national average of 75 and an average of 107 for the most similar forces.

Councillor Derek Burrows, Bolton Council's Cabinet Member for Community Safety, said: "I think a 3.2 per cent rise is acceptable. I'm sure people don't mind paying a bit extra to maintain the local police. It will mean that the police can probably have more officers out on the beat."

Mr Lloyd will formally set his portion of council tax, called a precept, on February 16.