The police element of the council tax will rise 4.5 per cent rise next year.

A Band D household in Thames Valley will pay a police precept of £151.27 per year or £2.91 per week.

Thames Valley Police Authority agreed the increase, which equates to an extra 13 pence per week for an average Band D household.

The authority said the increase would be used to fund an increase in 68 officers across the Thames Valley, including an extra 20 in Oxfordshire.

Police authority chairman Khan Juna said: “I am pleased that the budget will allow us to increase the number of front line officers.

“That is what the public are telling us they want us to do, and I am pleased we have agreed a budget that will enable us to achieve this.

“In order to achieve this, and keep council tax increases down to a minimum, we have been working with the force to identify efficiency savings of nearly £8m.

“Now I am looking forward to seeing the impact of these extra officers on the performance of Thames Valley Police.”

He said in addition to the increase in officers there would be a focus on delivering improved efficiency with upgrades in technology; continuing the programme of extending and improving custody suites; development of a new base for public order training and the refurbishment of facilities at Taplow to provide a new traffic base and additional accommodation to reduce the pressure on Slough Police Station.