West Mercia and Warwickshire Police forces link-up saves up to 400 jobs
Up to 400 police jobs have been saved from the axe by the alliance between the West Mercia and Warwickshire forces, Shropshire's deputy policing commissioner has said.
Barrie Sheldon said the decision for the two forces to share resources has helped mitigate the effect of Government cutbacks. Both forces are being restructured to save a combined £31 million by 2016.
His comments come after West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner Bill Longmore revealed this week that up to 200 police officers and 450 civilian staff will be leaving both forces by 2016 and will not be replaced.
Mr Sheldon said: "If we hadn't gone down the alliance route, we would have lost about 400 more staff. The most important thing is we retain effective frontline policing and we are going to do that."
It is hoped that redundancies should be avoided among police officers and PCSOs, with posts lost through retirement and staff turnover.
But Mr Sheldon said redundancies may be necessary among support staff.
"With the police staff there is the possibility of redundancies, but not among police officers," he said.
Mr Longmore's policing plan, which he has drawn up after less than two months in the job, proposes that West Mercia and Warwickshire Police reduce their numbers from 3,050 police officers to 2,850, with civilian staff down from 2,700 to 2,250.
It represents a six per cent cut to police officer numbers and a 16 per cent reduction in support staff.
Meanwhile, members of the public are being encouraged to take part in a consultation on whether West Mercia's council tax precept should increase to prevent the need for further job cuts.
People are being asked whether they support a freeze, one per cent or two per cent rise.
Mr Longmore said that a higher increase could save 'approximately 30 police constable posts or 60 police community support officer posts'.
