COUNCILLORS blasted police chiefs for upping the police 'tax' on residents while having one of the highest sick rates in the UK.

The police precept, which forms part of the council tax bill, rose by an inflation-busting 16.8% last month.

But civilian staff in A Division - which covers Newport - took a massive average of 25 working days' sick leave each in 2003-04.

That figure was 14.9 days for police officers - a situation that regularly left areas undermanned, according to one councillor.

Councillors told Chief Constable Michael Tonge that ratepayers wanted "more for their money" after police added an extra £20 to the annual council tax bill of Band D homeowners.

Councillor Bob Bright, cabinet member for community safety, said: "We're faced with another meteoric rise in the precept.

"The bulk of the extra cost is down to staff pay and pensions, but Gwent Police has the second highest sickness rate in the whole of the UK."

New Chief Constable Michael Tonge said: "The performance of Gwent is poor, but we will tackle it head on."

He said his civilian colleagues were "front line" staff facing high stress, and the rising figures were part of a national trend.

Gwent Police spend 83% of their £98m budget on staff. Absenteeism among officers across all Gwent divisions rose from 12.69 days in 2002 to 13.7 in 2003.

Civilian staff claimed an average of 13.2 days in 2002, but 17.1 in 2003.

Chief Constable Tonge added: "There will be no apathy. For every person I employ there are 30 queueing up for the job. If people aren't prepared to get back out there, then they will be replaced."