Sussex Police Authority agreed to increase the amount of money from just under £190m to £211.2m to pay for the officers and improvements within the force.

As a result it will bring the total number of officers to 3,140 by the end of March 2004.

The budget increase will mean residents in band D properties will have to pay an extra 54p.

I would not ask for a single penny if I did not think I could do something with it Chief Constable Ken Jones

But the authority has said this will mean the average council tax bill for policing will still be less than £100.

The authority unanimously voted for the increased budget to help develop a more localised police service in Sussex.

Longer police station opening hours are also provided for.

The authority said the increase in budget was necessary because of changes in the way the government hands out grants.

The final grant settlement announced by the government amounted to an increase in core funding of £4.6m.

Reduced crime

But the authority said it needed £21.3m to meet current spending pressures, to progress with the neighbourhood policing teams and to continue the fight against crime.

Chief Constable Ken Jones said: "Sussex still has one of the lowest officer to population distributions in the UK along with one of the lowest police tax levels.

"However, Sussex was one of the few forces where overall crime reduced last year.

"I welcome the extra investment to build on our performance, but I would not ask for a single penny if I did not think I could do something with it."