LANCASHIRE Police are set to axe 16 police and 38 support staff as part of budget cuts facing the force next year.

But police bosses have vowed that the cuts will not affect the number of bobbies on the beat.

Lancashire Constabulary bosses revealed last year that cuts to services would be inevitable after it received only £6m in extra funding for its budgets for 2002-2003.

The force said the figure was inadequate to meet its expanding workload and commitments.

Police bosses said the provisional £200m settlement would leave them facing very difficult decisions about "how to allocate resources to operational policing".

The cash, part of the government's allocation of funding to police forces across the country, represents an increase of just 3.1 per cent on last year's figure.

Police say the increase is below the amount needed to fund pay and price increases for the second year running.

All departmental heads at the constabulary have reported back to the police authority outlining how they will operate within the new budgets, constraints which will result in the reduction of 16 police posts and 38 support staff.

The force currently has 3,433 officers and 1,736 support staff.

Police say they hope the reduction in police posts will be achieved through natural wastage, such as retirement, and redeployment of officers to other posts.

Support staff with permanent contracts should also keep their jobs.

The cuts will not affect the number of officers being recruited into the force.

The constabulary is currently looking to recruit 70 officers under the Crime Fighting Fund, a pot of cash provided by the government and not affected by budgets, and around 120 officers under normal recruitment.

The new officers will cost less to employ than the more senior posts.

When the financial settlement was announced last year Chief Constable Pauline Clare described it as "disappointing" saying she was surprised to see few extra resources after the latest White Paper on police reform.

She added: "It leaves us facing a year of financial constraints if we simply wish to fund the pay increases, which have already been agreed, and the spiralling cost of pensions.

"There will be little else left which means once again we will have to meet our new investments through efficiency savings.

"We are already looking at areas where some savings can be met, but we have to be very careful that these do not impact on our operational effectiveness and, in particular, on the services we provide to the communities in Lancashire."

From May, police wages will be paid on the last day of the month instead of the 15th.

The controversial move is part of a bid to save £90,000 per year as part of a £3m cost-cutting package and will mean officers having six weeks between pay days.

By NICK EVANS

DISAPPOINTED: Pauline Clare

Number of bobbies on the beat to be maintained