Job losses are “inevitable” at West Mercia Police with the force facing a “significant challenge” because of funding cuts, it was warned today.

The West Mercia Police Authority and other public bodies in Shropshire and across the wider region are today still working through the fine detail of the Government’s draft funding settlement.

But both Shropshire Council and Telford & Wrekin Council are continuing to plan on previously announced savings estimates.

For Shropshire this will total £76 million – including £10 million in this current year – while for Telford & Wrekin the figure is £25 million, £12 million of which will come next year.

Telford & Wrekin Council spokesman Nigel Newman said although the authority had been planning for some months for such a reduction, much more would come next year than had been indicated in October’s Comprehensive Spending Review.

Council leader Andrew Eade said: “We face some very significant challenges to make the savings we need, but we are well prepared to do so.

“We have been working extremely hard to put ourselves into as strong a position as possible to meet the challenges ahead. We are determined to do so while protecting frontline services wherever possible.

“Whatever was announced yesterday, the fact is that we face a 12 per cent cut in cash terms next year, which will pose a very real challenge.”

Police authority chairman Sheila Blagg said: “Over 80 per cent of our spending is on pay, so an overall reduction in our 4,100 workforce is inevitable.

“We will endeavour to minimise the reduction in police officer and police staff numbers by prudent management of resources and by streamlining processes so that we achieve much of the savings required of us without reducing the effectiveness of our police services.”

Meanwhile, Shropshire’s chief fire officer, Paul Raymond, was detailing the impact of the settlement to the Shropshire and Wrekin Fire Authority today.

The brigade estimates it will need to save of £3 million.

By Dave Morris