POLICE chiefs are planning a budget rise which would lead to more officers on the beat and a clampdown on rural crime.

The draft budget for Thames Valley police for 2001/02 is £252 million, an increase of 5.8 per cent on this year.

In addition there will be extra funding from the government including over £3 million to help meet recruitment targets of 111 new officers in 2000/2001 and a further 108 officers in 2001/2002 with a further £2.5 million to be used to fund a new national radio system.

Another £1.3 million will be used in tackling rural crime, which is more than twice the amount received this year.

Final approval for the proposed budget will be sought at a meeting of the Thames Valley Police Authority in February.

Glenn Maybury, Chairman of the Thames Valley Police Authority, said: "This budget would help us channel money into vital areas of day-to-day operational policing."