Budget Day For Thames Valley Police

17 February 2012, 05:00 | Updated: 17 February 2012, 15:58

The people in charge of Thames Valley Police's money have set the budget for the next financial year.

10 police officer jobs are being cut, along with 218 police staff posts.

They have to make savings of £16 million this year and around £40 million over the next three years.

Their part of council tax is being frozen, so the average Band D property will continue to pay around £154 per year for their service.

Thames Valley Police Chief Constable, Sara Thornton, said:

"Today’s budget announcement sets out the funding available to us, and the savings we will have to achieve as a Force over the next three years.

"The Force has been preparing for cuts for some time, and we have already identified significant savings.

"We are saving money by collaborating with other Forces as far as possible.

"We are also slimming down our management structures and back office functions, and looking at ways of making our processes more efficient.

"To protect the service we provide to the public, I have not reduced the number of officers on patrol or in neighbourhoods."

Check out all the budget details in full by clicking here.

Graham Smith, from the Thames Valley Police Federation, which represents police officers has told Heart he agrees with the council tax freeze, but can't see the same thing happening next year.

"You don't get anything for free, and if the people of the Thames Valley want to maintain and improve the service they're just going to have to pay that little bit more.

"It's good value for money, and if you have a small increase it would be spent wisely and insure that when you call us, you get us."