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| North Wales Police cuts 120 jobs | North Wales Police cuts 120 jobs |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| North Wales Police force has announced that it will cut 120 jobs by March. | North Wales Police force has announced that it will cut 120 jobs by March. |
| The force blamed the decision on cuts in funding, combined with a possible cap on council tax rises. | The force blamed the decision on cuts in funding, combined with a possible cap on council tax rises. |
| Chief constable Richard Brunstrom claimed the UK government had "police finance into a really dreadful mess and is seemingly in complete denial". | Chief constable Richard Brunstrom claimed the UK government had "police finance into a really dreadful mess and is seemingly in complete denial". |
| Force finance director Tom O'Donnell said it was "desperate" not to reduce front-line policing, and savings were being examined among support staff. | Force finance director Tom O'Donnell said it was "desperate" not to reduce front-line policing, and savings were being examined among support staff. |
| The news follows expected cuts of £3m next year, on top of £2m this year. | The news follows expected cuts of £3m next year, on top of £2m this year. |
| In his weblog on the force website, Mr Brunstrom writes: "We're going to have to downsize, and I have to plan for it. | In his weblog on the force website, Mr Brunstrom writes: "We're going to have to downsize, and I have to plan for it. |
| "The government has got police finance into a really dreadful mess and is seemingly in complete denial. | "The government has got police finance into a really dreadful mess and is seemingly in complete denial. |
| "We're going to have to take the consequences - and so are you. Still, nil desperandum." | "We're going to have to take the consequences - and so are you. Still, nil desperandum." |
| 'Improving efficiency' | |
| Mr O'Donnell said the financial situation "requires action now to ensure we live within the resources being made available". | Mr O'Donnell said the financial situation "requires action now to ensure we live within the resources being made available". |
| He went on: "We will look for all means of improving efficiency but this is a great disappointment to us and our staff who have worked so hard to turn North Wales Police into one of the best performing forces in England and Wales. | He went on: "We will look for all means of improving efficiency but this is a great disappointment to us and our staff who have worked so hard to turn North Wales Police into one of the best performing forces in England and Wales. |
| "We are desperate not to impact on front-line policing. This inevitably means that we have to look for savings within the support staff budget. | "We are desperate not to impact on front-line policing. This inevitably means that we have to look for savings within the support staff budget. |
| "We are consulting with staff associations as we proceed." | "We are consulting with staff associations as we proceed." |
| Ian Roberts, chair of North Wales Police Authority, said any initial cuts of support staff could have an impact on neighbourhood policing. | |
| He said: "The first ones are the backroom staff. It shouldn't be them, they are the people who are doing a lot of the work inside to make sure that we have got people on the ground. | |
| "If we take them from inside we have to fill those sort of jobs and they will come from outside and will have to come from neighbourhood policing." | |
| Mr Roberts added that any cut in neighbourhood officers could see an increase in crime. | |
| He said: "That seems to be a no-brainer. If we haven't got police on the ground that's what is going to happen." |