The Department for Communities and Local Government ruled on Monday that Warwickshire Police could go ahead with their planned 13 per cent council tax rise this year - an extra £6.73 for the average household - as the cost of sending a new bill to every home would be too great.

But the government has blocked the police authority from raising its portion of the council tax bill by any more than three per cent in the next two years.

A police spokeswoman said: "The proposed level indicated by the government would significantly impact on plans for policing in the next two years.

"The police authority has been informed that a precise figure will be provided in due course and that it may challenge that figure before a final decision is taken."

Chief Constable Keith Bristow told a meeting of the authority on Tuesday: "Any reduction in the resources available will reduce the amount of protection from harm the force can deliver to local communities."

But Stratford MP John Maples is "delighted" with the news. He said: "For too long, the police authority has inflicted inflation-busting council tax increases year after year without any account of what people can afford.

"We are heading into tough economic times with higher mortgage rates, lower economic growth and higher unemployment.

"The council tax is a major burden on most people, whose own pay increases are unlikely to exceed 3 per cent, if they get one at all.

"They will welcome this respite. I had asked the government to insist on no increases at all for two years, which would have been better, but 3 per cent is enormously better than 13 per cent."

The police authority is yet to decide whether to appeal against the ruling.