South Wales Police hold meetings over budget cuts

'South Wales Police is facing an incredibly difficult few years,' says authority chair Coun Russell Roberts

The deputy chief constable of South Wales Police will attend a public meeting later to discuss budget cuts which could lead to 688 job losses.

The force says it faces a £47m funding gap over the next four years which equates to 688 officers and staff.

It says steps are being taken to protect front line services but 80% of its budget is spent on staff costs.

Prime Minister David Cameron has said police cuts in Wales could be made without hitting front line officers.

Mr Cameron told last week's Prime Minister's Questions he accepted that all police forces in Wales and England were facing "a difficult financial settlement" - with South Wales Police being asked to find 5% in savings next year.

Mr Cameron was responding to claims in the Commons by Rhondda MP Chris Bryant that the four police forces in Wales face cutting 1,600 officers and support staff over the next four years.

Now, South Wales Police is holding the first in a series of public meetings to discuss the implications of the budget cuts.

Police authority chair, councillor Russell Roberts will be joined by chief officers including Deputy Chief Constable Colette Paul at Ty Pennant, Pontypridd, on Wednesday and Swansea County Hall on Thursday. Both sessions start at 1830 GMT.

Mr Roberts said: "This meeting is important as it allows us the opportunity to discuss what the financial situation means to the public of south Wales.

"We must be under no illusions. South Wales Police is facing an incredibly difficult few years financially. The budget settlement from the government is tough."

Chief Constable Peter Vaughan is due to attend further public meetings at Cardiff County Hall on 1 February and Police Headquarters, Bridgend, 3 February.

He has said previously that the force intended to reduce police numbers through natural retirement and the use of police regulations for some officers with more than 30 years' service.

He said for police staff the reduction would be achieved through a combination of natural wastage, early voluntary retirement and redundancies.

"Whilst reductions of such scale will obviously have an impact on the way we do business, we are trying our absolute best to ensure that the impact on the delivery of our services to our communities is minimised," he said.