Police braced for 1,900 job cuts

Plans to shed hundreds of police and civilian jobs could be revealed today.
And tomorrow Greater Manchester Police’s Chief Constable Peter Fahy will tell 1,900 staff where the axe will fall.

The force has hired the hospitality suite at the Bolton Wanderers Reebok Stadium to break the bad news — but some staff have reacted with anger that thousands of pounds, believed to be in the region of £7,500, has been spent on the venue.

The Greater Manchester Police Authority is expected to publish full details of the cuts today ahead of its next meeting on November 22.

Greater Manchester, which has 8,000 police officers, has to make 20 per cent savings over the next four years and could use a rule that allows the force to retire officers who have served 30 years.

But Mr Fahy has pledged to protect front-line services, leaving the 4,152 civilian backroom staff likely to bear the brunt of the cuts.

It could still mean hundreds of officers going through natural wastage, and 1,400 civilian jobs being shed over the next three years.

The 840 PCSOs could also be under threat of losing their jobs.

Back office services likely to be affected are public relations, human resources, vehicle maintenance, cleaning, finance, IT and training.

The 1,900 police and civilian staff will be at two sessions at the Reebok Stadium tomorrow.