THE Chief Constable of Cleveland Police is to make a plea to councils and the public for another large rise in the Police Authority's share of the council tax.

Sean Price has contacted all four borough councils in Teesside to request permission to talk to councillors.

The Police Authority has yet to set its council tax share, but is expected to want a 28 or 29 per cent increase to pay for more community policing.

It would be the third year the authority has asked for large council tax increases following rises of 25 per cent last year and 38 per cent in 2002.

Stockton Borough Council leader Bob Gibson criticised the plan, and said he would write to Government Minister Nick Raynsford to urge him to investigate the need for tax increases to pay for more police.

Coun Gibson said: "The increase alone would add another two per cent to the overall bill. They say it is to pay for more community policing.

"However, the Government is looking at that whole issue and I would suggest they wait for that before making a mad dash for another huge increase in money from the public."

Police Authority chairman Ken Walker said the increase would come at a cost to most council taxpayers of no more than 50p a week, and would lead to more than 200 extra police officers patrolling streets.

He said: "Time and time again members of the public tell us that they want more officers and they want to see them on the streets."

Mr Price will address Middlesbrough Council at Middlesbrough Town Hall at 7pm on Wednesday, January 14.

He hopes meetings with Hartlepool, Stockton and Redcar and Cleveland Borough councils will be arranged in the coming weeks.