LANCASHIRE’S police and crime commissioner will be out and about in the New Year chatting about his policing priorities and asking people how much they are willing to pay for the police.

Clive Grunshaw launched this year’s Ask How Much? campaign in late November and has been seeking people’s views on the police precept – the part of the council tax that helps fund policing.

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He’s asking people if they want to freeze the precept, increase it by 6p a week or by 15p a week.

More than 2,000 people from all over the county have already had their say either through an online survey on the commissioner’s website, on surveys placed in police enquiry desks and libraries or via a telephone poll undertaken by an independent research company.

But Mr Grunshaw said he was hoping to engage with people who may not usually respond to such consultations by meeting them shopping centres.

He said: “I’ve been really pleased with the responses we have had so far.

“We have used social media and email marketing to try and reach a much larger number of people this year.

“But there are still people we won’t have spoken to and I am hoping that by going to a place where they may feel more familiar such as a shopping centre, then that would encourage more people to chat to me.”

It comes as Mr Grunshaw criticised the Government for slashing an extra £3.2million of funds from the Lancashire Police budget in a Home Office grant announcement.

Residents can have their say by visiting www.lancashire-pcc.gov.uk, picking up a leaflet from their nearest police enquiry desk or telephoning 01772 533587.