POLICE will not be putting up their slice of council tax to get the public to plug their £61.4m funding gap.

Members of the Merseyside police authority yesterday voted to freeze their council tax precept.

The move will trigger an extra pay-out from the Government of around £1.5m, in the form of a Council Tax Freeze Grant – the equivalent of a 2.5% rise but without having to burden the local community.

The police authority have to save £20m next year alone, thanks to government attempts to cut the national deficit.

They are then looking at shortfalls in their budget of £18.5m in 2012/13, £8.4m in 2013/14 and £14.4m in 2014/15.

A freeze in the council tax share would leave those living in Band A properties paying £97.49 next year towards policing while Band D properties would pay £146.23.

The authority say that because of belt-tightening they were already doing, their current financial situation would, at any other time, have seen them in a position to invest and strengthen the force.

But instead they are set to lose around 380 officers by the end of the next financial year without replacing them as the current recruitment freeze remains in place.

Based on best estimates, the force could be 880 officers and 1,000 staff members down by 2015 compared to current levels.

The jobs will go in four waves of cuts, three have already begun.