IF the people of North Yorkshire want a quality police force then they will have to be prepared to pay for it.

This was the message the Chief Constable Della Cannings put across at a public meeting held in Thirsk on Monday to discuss the next budget for the North Yorkshire Police Authority.

The meeting was told by authority finance director David Flynn that in 2002/03 £96m would be spent on the county's police force. With inflation this could rise by about £6.5m in 2003/4.

Also, the authority would be required to implement elements of the Government's Police and Criminal Justice system reform programme, a set of initiatives designed to make significant improvements in the way in which the police and courts services are delivered. This could cost an extra £5m.

"Unfortunately, this area will not receive any extra money next year from the Government, over and above inflation, to help us out. The view being taken nationally is that the extra resources for policing announced in the budget should be directed to those areas of the country where levels of crime are high.

"We are told that people want to see more of the police service rather than less. They want to see improvements made, not reductions in standards.

"But the authority will not be able to meet the police's expenditure needs next year without either cutting services or once again raising council tax levels substantially.

The chief constable said a council tax payment of £2.30 per week (60p per week rise) would only allow the force to standstill with no improvements.

An increase to £2.60 per week (90p per week rise) would provide 18 extra police officers and 23 support staff, allow investment in control rooms, cover inflation and insurance and enable the police to respond to improve the criminal justice system.

An increase to £3 per week (an extra £1.30) would enable the force to free police officers from bureaucracy, provide an extra 90 police officers and 45 community support officers.

Ms Cannings said they were not looking to provide frills and that she was aware that many North Yorkshire people were on low incomes.

"But what else can you get for £3 a week. What type of service do you want, and what are you willing to pay to get it," she asked.

* Meeting report: page 12