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| Police budget cuts detail revealed | Police budget cuts detail revealed |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Police forces in England and Wales face cuts in central funding in the next two years of 4% then 5%, the government has announced. | Police forces in England and Wales face cuts in central funding in the next two years of 4% then 5%, the government has announced. |
| Policing Minister Nick Herbert said front-line services could be protected while achieving "challenging" savings. | |
| Central funding will fall to £9.3bn in 2011-12, then £8.8bn the year after. | Central funding will fall to £9.3bn in 2011-12, then £8.8bn the year after. |
| The Association of Police Authorities said it could stall progress on crime reduction. Shadow home secretary Ed Balls called the cuts "very reckless". | |
| In the Spending Review in October, police learned they faced a 20% cut in funding by 2014-15. | In the Spending Review in October, police learned they faced a 20% cut in funding by 2014-15. |
| Mr Herbert said the government would "play its part by reducing bureaucracy, driving more efficient procurement, and working with forces to ensure that the savings of over £1bn a year identified by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary are delivered". | Mr Herbert said the government would "play its part by reducing bureaucracy, driving more efficient procurement, and working with forces to ensure that the savings of over £1bn a year identified by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary are delivered". |
| In real terms, taking into account changes in purchasing power over time, the cuts equate to 6% in 2011-12 and 8% in 2012-13. | |
| Mr Balls told BBC News: "What we have seen today announced to all forces - and to be honest rather hidden behind the other announcements on local government and schools - is the biggest cut to our police for a century, outside of wartime." | |
| Pointing to a Police Federation warning that thousands of front-line posts could be lost as result of the cuts, Mr Balls said: "In this debate about cuts, sometimes when people come on to your programme and talk about percentages here or millions there, it's all a bit meaningless. | |
| "Twenty thousand police officers gone from our streets - that's real." | |
| 'Safe and secure' Olympics | |
| The policing minister announced separate funds for counter-terrorism, and for neighbourhood policing until 2013. | |
| A prioritised budget for counter-terrorism would see £567m allocated for 2011-12, it was announced. | A prioritised budget for counter-terrorism would see £567m allocated for 2011-12, it was announced. |
| Mr Herbert announced a further £600m for "safety and security" during the London Olympics in 2012, although he said the government was confident that could be delivered for £475m. | Mr Herbert announced a further £600m for "safety and security" during the London Olympics in 2012, although he said the government was confident that could be delivered for £475m. |
| The separate neighbourhood policing allocations are worth £340m in 2011-12, and £338m the following year. | The separate neighbourhood policing allocations are worth £340m in 2011-12, and £338m the following year. |
| The Association of Police Authorities (APA) chairman, Rob Garnham, welcomed the decision to maintain the counter-terrorism and neighbourhood policing funds. | The Association of Police Authorities (APA) chairman, Rob Garnham, welcomed the decision to maintain the counter-terrorism and neighbourhood policing funds. |
| But he said: "There can be no doubt that the financial prospects over the next four years remain daunting. | But he said: "There can be no doubt that the financial prospects over the next four years remain daunting. |
| "There is a risk that the positive momentum of the last few years on crime reduction and public confidence will be interrupted, at a time when communities are likely to be looking more towards the police for help when other public services are scaling back." | "There is a risk that the positive momentum of the last few years on crime reduction and public confidence will be interrupted, at a time when communities are likely to be looking more towards the police for help when other public services are scaling back." |
| It was also likely that public services and voluntary groups would be cutting funds that had traditionally supported police-led initiatives, leaving forces "squeezed from several directions at once", Mr Garnham warned. | It was also likely that public services and voluntary groups would be cutting funds that had traditionally supported police-led initiatives, leaving forces "squeezed from several directions at once", Mr Garnham warned. |
| While acknowledging the need to cut expenditure in the police service, the APA has urged the government to rethink how the cuts are phased over the four-year period. | |
| It believes that if budgets are slashed too heavily too early, it will damage police forces' abilities to transform their working practices and make savings that way. | |
| With the cuts currently scheduled by the Home Office, Mr Garnham said: "It is difficult to envisage how some loss of service can be avoided." | With the cuts currently scheduled by the Home Office, Mr Garnham said: "It is difficult to envisage how some loss of service can be avoided." |