POLICING is at risk of becoming “irrelevant” as neighbourhood presences are stripped back and vast numbers of crimes go unsolved, a new report warns.

Forces in England and Wales are “struggling to cope” and there will be dire consequences for public safety unless they are provided with additional funding, according to the Commons Home Affairs Committee, which also accused the Home Office of a “complete failure of leadership”.

Its inquiry found offences including robbery and vehicle-related theft are rapidly increasing.

While recorded crime is up by nearly a third (32 per cent) in three years, charges or summonses have fallen by 26 per cent and the number of arrests is also down, according to the assessment.

It said data suggests forces have lost at least a fifth of their neighbourhood policing capacity on average since 2010.

Since 2010 Lancashire has had to make over £84 million of savings as £50m of central funding has been axed, with an additional £18m of savings required by 2022.

In that time Lancashire has also lost 800 police officer posts and 350 support staff.

Police and crime commissioner Clive Grunshaw said: "I believe the total level of funding provided to policing by government is the most significant issue facing the service.

"Police officers in Lancashire are working around the clock to keep people safe but they are over stretched.

"This report reaffirms what I have been saying for some time - policing urgently needs more money.

"The current funding for policing isn't sufficient to deal with growing demand and the current funding arrangements, which places the burden of police funding into council tax payers, isn’t sustainable.

"The constabulary is managing not just an increase in crime, with the emergency 999 and 101 service receiving thousands more calls than they did in previous years, but also non-crime demand including mental health and social care as a consequence of cut backs affecting other services and partners.

"Changing and increasing demand means officers are needed to do different roles so they can be there when the public really need them, dealing with increasingly complex issues such as cybercrime, child and adult exploitation and online abuse. "