The annual charge to residents by Hampshire Constabulary is set to rise by over 20%.

The current precept to householders in a Band-D council property is £75.15, but this would rise to £90.92 as of April according to Police Authority estimates.

The authority, which sets the precept, blames the rise on a lack of government money, and intends to protest.

Authority members met in Winchester to discuss government moves to redistribute cash from councils and police forces in the South East to the North and the Midlands.

County treasurer, Jon Pittam, said the redistribution had worked out badly for Hampshire.

"You are in the worst of both worlds. You are in a shire police area, and you are part of the South East region."

Chief Constable, Paul Kernaghan, raised further concerns about the cash redistribution.

"We are trying to provide an improved police service, and this makes it increasingly difficult," he said.

Authority member and leader of the county council Liberal Democrat group, Adrian Collett, spoke against the redistribution.

"In all my years in local government the budget always seems to be bad news. Very often we think it cannot get any worse, but it does."