As the Isle of Wight Council warns of a council tax hike of up to five per cent, including three per cent to pay for social care (if the government allows), what we pay for policing is also being reviewed.

While County Hall has launched a survey, asking us how we would spend the 2021/2022 budget, as it prepares to make savings, Hampshire Constabulary's budget will be discussed on January 29.

The Isle of Wight's Police and Crime Commissioner, with responsibility for setting the policing budget, must decide whether to increase the police precept - the payment that sits on top of the Isle of Wight Council's council tax bill.

Town and parish councils also add a precept.

The Police and Crime Commissioner says last year's budget brought more call handlers to answer 999 and 101 calls.

More police officers were recruited, he says, including 156 officers allocated from the national increase and 94 extra officers, earlier than expected.

Mr Lane says investment in officer-wellbeing has kept sickness down, arguing Hampshire Constabulary is consistently in the best five for sickness, out of more than forty forces.

Do you support an increase?

If the precept rises, it will be used to pay for the early recruitment of new police officers for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, as well as increased prevention work and forensic capability and investment in wellbeing.

The Government has given Police and Crime Commissioners the flexibility to increase the policing precept by up to a maximum of £15 per year (based on Band D properties).

A 2.5 per cent increase (10p per week on Band D) would maintain the staus quo, while a 7.10 per cent increase (29p week based on a Band D property) would mean investment, says the Police and Crime Commissioner.

A proposal will be presented to the Police and Crime Panel on January 29.