Thousands of Hampshire households are to charged an extra £5 every year to help pay for policing.

The move  is backed by 79 per cent of people who were quizzed about the issue in a survey carried out across the county.

Hampshire's Police and Crime Panel gave the measure which police chiefs say is vital for neighbourhood policing, the green light.

It comes after Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, Michael Lane, and Chief Constable Olivia Pinkney, have urged the government to rethink its funding formula so Hampshire Constabulary can receive more cash.

The government funds around two thirds of Hampshire Constabulary’s £305m budget; the rest comes from council tax.

The Hampshire Police and Crime Commissioner carried out a survey where 1,547 people were asked if they would back the increase - and 1222 people agreed with the proposal.

However fears still loom over whether the force will get the government cash to plug a £23m shortfall.

As reported in the Daily Echo, Hampshire Police Federation chairman John Apter has warned about slower response times, reduced neighbourhood policing and more crimes being unsolved if this money is not found.

Mr Lane said: “The precept decision for 2017/18 needs to take into account both the immediate and medium term resourcing requirements that enable Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Southampton and Portsmouth to be safer now and in the future.

"A £5 increase will put us in a stronger position to meet the immediate risks and continue to respond to the ever increasing complexity of crime.

“However, even with this, and future projected increases in council tax, it is estimated that if national government funding for policing continues to be worked out in a way that is unfair we will be facing a funding shortfall of £23 million a year by 2021.”

Currently the precept stands at £160.46 for a Band D home, which is the tenth lowest in the country.

Chairman of Hampshire's Police and Crime Panel, councillor David Stewart, said: "The Hampshire Police and Crime Panel has today approved the Police and Crime Commissioner’s proposed increase in the Council Tax precept for 2017/18 – which equates to an extra £5 per year for the average Band D property.

"Through the work of our finance sub committee, we satisfied ourselves that the precept increase is appropriate to maintain an effective local of policing in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight over the next financial year, whilst at the same time acknowledging the continuing financial pressures.

“The panel is confident that by approving the PCC’s budget for 2017/18, the people of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight will continue to receive a high quality policing service.”