Burnley police jobs to be axed.

Around 800 posts are to go in total across the county, down from the original estimate of 1,000, with the majority being back office and support staff as the force tackles the £42m. of savings required by 2015.

And Chief Constable Steve Finnigan has dismissed Government claims that frontline services can be completely protected in the cuts, by saying “it can’t be done.”

He revealed that police would respond to around 35,000 calls a year but would not be able to respond as quickly to less serious incidents.

He added that funding for Police Community Support Officers had been protected for the next 12 months and described Lancashire’s neighbourhood policing as “the jewel in the crown”. He said he had endeavoured to protect its budget as much as possible during the process.

Budgets such as partnership and community safety have been cut by 33% in order to do this, however, along with the response budget, neighbourhood policing has been cut by 10% resulting in the Burnley area losing three neighbourhood police officers.

F For the full story, pick up a copy of Tuesday’s Burnley Express.