GWENT Police say they have no choice but to ask for a 16.8 per cent increase in the amount they charge to council tax payers.

The police authority are meeting tomorrow to decide on the recommendation that would see Band D homes paying an extra £20 a year towards the cost of policing bringing their contributison to nearly £140 a year.

The planned hike follows last year's biggest-ever increase of more than 25 per cent, which took the amount households paid for policing to £120. Earlier this week, Sue Essex, the Welsh Assembly's finance minister, told AMs there was "no need" for big increases in council tax to pay for policing.

And she called for police authorities to "act responsibly" when drawing up their budgets.

A Gwent Police spokeswoman told the Argus a "significant amount of time" was spent over the last few months to minimise the impact for the next year on council tax.

She said: "Gwent Police have got the highest detection rate of forces in England and Wales, and we are seeing crime reduction, so people are getting value for money."

The spokeswoman said 8.8 per cent of the proposed increase was due to extra unavoidable expenses, including increased pension costs, inflation, and money needed for storing vehicles.

A further 1.8 per cent of the increase was making up for a withdrawn grant from the National Assembly.

The spokeswoman added the rest of the proposed increase was taken up by an enhanced call handling centre, 66 extra officers and further resources for the child protection and family support unit.

Police in Wales are funded by the Home Office, the Assembly and from the police precept element of council tax.

During a debate at the National Assembly shadow finance minister Dr Dai Lloyd said the Home Office needed to pay constabularies more to reduce the funding gap.