A plan to increase the police precept for West Yorkshire council taxpayers to protect frontline policing in the county has been approved.

The proposal, by West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner Mark Burns-Williamson, to up the police tax by fractionally less than two per cent, was supported by the West Yorkshire Police and Crime Panel.

Mr Burns-Williamson told members the increase would help pay for the recruitment of 126 police officers and 70 essential police staff in the next year – though Government budget cuts will still mean an overall reduction of nearly 100 officers.