Police fear job losses of 1,500 in fresh cuts

Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Lloyd

GREATER Manchester Police could lose up to 1,500 of its 6,700 officers in another devastating round of Home Office cuts.

Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Lloyd and GMP Chief Constable Sir Peter Fahy fear up to £75 million more could be slashed from local budgets in addition to the £275 million already announced. That would lead to a 22 per cent cut in personnel.

Based on information available so far, GMP believes it will lose between £53 million and £75 million.

Mr Fahy and Mr Lloyd wrote to Home Secretary Theresa May last month asking her to put an exact figure on the cuts but have heard nothing.

Mr Lloyd said: “We’ve already had more than £175 million slashed from our policing budget, which means we’ve lost more than 1,500 police officers. We know there are more cuts to come of at least £100 million, but these new cuts are on top of all of this.

“By keeping the details of this change to the funding formula secret, you have to wonder what the Home Secretary has got to hide. It’s time for her and the Government to come clean.”

GMP’s budget is currently £542 million — £436 million of which comes from Government grants. The rest comes from council tax.