Wiltshire households will benefit from a freeze on the police element of council tax during the next financial year.

The proposal from Angus Macpherson, the new Police and Crime Commissioner for Wiltshire and Swindon, was formally confirmed by the Police and Crime Panel yesterday.

It means that for the 2013/14 financial year the average Band D household in Wiltshire and Swindon will pay £157.77 for policing services as well as community safety services Mr Macpherson can commission.

This is the same amount as last year and the year before that.

Mr Macpherson said: “I am very pleased that residents will benefit from this cap on the policing part of the council tax, especially in the current economic climate.

“I am confident that we can keep the cost of policing down for households while maintaining effective frontline services.”

The commissioner promised not to increase the policing part of the council tax for the 2013/14 financial year during his election campaign.

He has now consulted with the business sector, via chamber of commerce groups, and the voluntary community sector on the proposal.

He is also continuing to consult with the voluntary community sector on his forthcoming Police and Crime Plan, with a wider public consultation on the plan due to start later this month.

The Police and Crime Panel, the body set up to scrutinise the actions and decisions of the commissioner, formally agreed the police council tax proposal at a meeting in Chippenham yesterday.