Council tax payers in Devon and Cornwall could be asked to pay an extra 57p a week to fund policing.

The rise would mean an increase in the police element of householders' council tax bills of about �30 - from �78 a year for a band D property to �107.64.

Devon and Cornwall police say the government's �172m funding award - a rise of 3% - is not enough to pay for spending plans.

That includes an extra 70 officers and improved public access.

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Three per cent does not actually cover all the additonal things we have to do just to keep going Chief Constable Maria Wallis

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The proposed rise follows a series of public consultation meetings.

The meetings showed 80% support for paying more, according to the police authority.

Chief Constable Maria Wallis says the message the force is getting is that people are prepared to pay for a better service.

She said: "Three per cent does not actually cover all the additonal things we have to do just to keep going.

"These would include additional expenses, national insurance, inflation and any pay increase that there might be for our staff."

Devon and Cornwall police want an extra 70 officers

The government said the �172m investment will allow the constabulary to deliver more police officers, develop specialist expertise and make the most of modern technology.

But police authority treasurer John Glasby said in a statement that most of the money is "existing resources and the growth elements are insufficient to meet our spending needs".

The police authority wants to increase the number of police officers from 3,250 to 3,500 by 2007.

The proposal will be considered by members of the police authority on Friday.