A £5m cut has been confirmed for policing in West Yorkshire.

And police chiefs fear there will be more cuts next year as the Government insist on reining in spending.

Core funding from Government for the West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner has now been announced as £331.7m for 2013/14 as compared with £337.1m for the current year.

This is a reduction in cash terms of over £5m before taking into account real terms inflationary pressures for things like fuel and utilities.

The government remains on track to reduce police funding by the 20% announced in the 2010 Spending Review.

No figures have yet been announced for 2014/15 and there remains real concern that additional cuts over and above the 20% will be required.

Another area of concern relates to Community Safety Funding. Grants are currently provided to both the police service and a range of partners to promote community safety initiatives, and some very valuable work is being delivered across the county with this money.

Nationally the total grant is being reduced by 25%, from £120m to £90m, and the funds paid directly to Commissioners to enable them to commission services aimed at local priorities and objectives.

West Yorkshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Mark Burns-Williamson is urging as many people as possible to fill out his Listening To You First consultation survey to ensure the public’s priorities are matched in the Police and Crime Plan.

He has already made a firm commitment to passport available community safety funding to organisations for next year, but warned the significant cut in funding for community safety will have a serious impact across West Yorkshire.