POLICE bosses fear their plans for 500 extra officers have been dashed after being told that a 28 per cent rise in council tax would be capped.

The news has dealt a huge blow to Chief Constable Paul Stephenson's vision for the future of the Lancashire force.

Mr Stephenson wanted to pay for the 14 per cent increase in the number of officers by charging council taxpayers 28 per cent extra - a £22.36 rise annually for Band D households.

But a meeting of the Lancashire Police Authority at Darwen Community Centre, in Knott Street, last night heard that the Government is expected to cap any increase for taxpayers at around 19 per cent.

It is not yet known by how many the proposal for 500 officers may have to be cut to adjust for the lesser funding.

The 500-officer expansion of Lancashire Constabulary's current strength of 3,524 would have cost £17million over three years. But the cash must come from council taxpayers as the Home Office's funding for the next financial year has only increased at the rate of inflation.

David Keeley, a magistrate who is a member of the authority, told the meeting that he was very frustrated at the Government's stance, which has been taken despite consultations with 3,000 Lancashire people that showed 64 per cent were in favour of paying the extra cash.

He added: "I understand the Government is telling us that 28 per cent is too much, even though local people have agreed.

"They are saying they may cap us and the figure they have given us is 19 to 20 per cent. The figure has not been decided and it is still in consultation but we think that is all they will allow and puts less money in the pot for the 500 officers.

"They were talking of taking the Government on but if they cap us they will say what we can have and we feel it is far better to keep control ourselves."

He added that desperate representations were being made to the Home Office in a bid to reverse ministers' preliminary decision before February 20 when the authority has to submit its budget.

Mr Stephenson says in his document "Blueprint" that Lancashire has 239 officers per 100,000 people, 19 less than the national average.

So, he claims, the county has 266 too few officers compared to most forces. But he wants to recruit an extra 500 in total over three years so a "real difference" can be made to people's lives.

Mr Stephenson believes this would allow police to tackle anti-social behaviour and respond to incidents more quickly reducing the rising fear of crime.