Concerns have been raised over the level of police cover in some of Lancashire’s rural villages, after changes left fewer officers on the beat.
A reduction of officers covering Preesall, Pilling and Hambleton means there will only be one full time officer and one voluntary Police and Community Support Officers (PCSO) covering the area.
This has caused alarm in the towns where community leaders say they have worked closely with the officers to tackle crime and support victims. It comes as Lancashire Police continues to battle to make an extra £6m of savings this year, which would take the total saved to £43m since the 2010 Comprehensive Spendign Review.
More than 500 police officer posts have been lost and several polcie stations, including those in rural areas, have been closed. It has been revealed that the force is facing another £20m of cuts in coming years.
Wyre Council leader Coun Peter Gibson said resources should be spent on ensuring officers were available on the beat.
He added: “My view is that if the police are short of funding then scarce resources should be concentrated on the front line.”
A spokesman for Lancashire Police said: “One of the PCSOs was successful in her application to become a police officer and this position is currently vacant.
“The area is also policed by response officers who answer emergency calls and are supported by specialist officers who cover a number of different disciplines.”
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