TAXPAYERS still face huge rises in bills for police services - despite the government giving the Lancashire force an extra £5.29million next year.

And Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans today branded the proposed 15 per cent increase in the police's share of council tax as "scandalous" and said he was worried about the impact on people on low incomes.

But Dr Ruth Henig, chair of the Lancashire Police Authority, said the rise in the police's council tax precept was needed or services would have to be cut next financial year.

She was speaking after the government announced that police forces would receive an extra 3.25 per cent funding to cover inflation and a little more. This year police services in Lancashire are costing £216.8m, with £177m coming from the government and the rest from council tax.

Next year the government will be contributing £182.9m.

Home Secretary David Blunkett said the rise was "exceptional" and added: "I am making sure that the police service in Lancashire receives the right resources it needs to fight crime."

Dr Henig said she appreciated the extra funding, but claimed there would still be a funding gap of £250m nationally due to increased costs in pensions, demands of setting up partnerships with local bodies and running new IT systems, and increased resources needed for anti-terrorism work, DNA support and automatic number plate recognition. Dr Henig added: "Police authorities now face tough decisions, on which they will be consulting with local communities, about whether to cut services they provide or increase council tax precepts.

"However, in order to to maintain the current levels of service authorities would need to increase council tax precepts by around 15 per cent."

The proposed rises means Band D householders, who currently pay £87.52 for the police, face being charged an extra £13.13, taking the bill to more than £100 annually.

It follows a similar rise of £14 for this financial year, so the police could recruit an extra 80 community beat managers.

Mr Evans said: "It is absolutely scandalous that this part of council tax bills could rise by as much as 15 per cent.

"I am worried that this will hit pensioners and young families on low incomes who will not see their incomes rise by six times the rate of inflation.

"Exactly how are people supposed to pay these huge increases?

"On top of this residents are becoming increasingly fed up with the emphasis on speed cameras everywhere while violent crimes are on the increase. People simply do not feel safer in the streets."