Devon and Cornwall residents are being polled on whether they would pay another £12 a year to ‘protect frontline policing’.

Police and crime commissioner Alison Hernandez said the increase, previously capped at 1.99 per cent, could generate an additional £7million.

If approved, residents would pay the police more in council tax, which is also includes payments to town, district and county councils.

Ms Hernandez, who also represents the Isles of Scilly, said: “I have consistently made the case that central Government cuts to funding have been detrimental to policing.

“In 2017, I committed to increasing police officer numbers by 100 over the term of my office to take the total number back up to 3,000.

“The Government has recently offered a funding opportunity that could both speed up that recruitment and further increase the number of officers.

“This is the only opportunity we have to increase investment.

“This would provide Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly Police with around £7m additional income, which will help to ensure we can protect frontline policing.”

The £12 increase would be for the average band D property. Fill in the poll at www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/G2S8QP7.