THE news from the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement today that the police's spending will be protected, has been met with “considerable relief” by the Police and Crime Commissioner for Wiltshire and Swindon.

The Chancellor George Osborne announced that police forces would escape Whitehall cuts, saying: "Now is not the time for further police cuts. Now is the time to back our police and give them the tools do the job.”

Angus Macpherson, Police and Crime Commissioner for Wiltshire and Swindon, welcomed the news, saying that he had been braced for “significant cuts.”

“I am delighted that the Chancellor has recognised that this is not the right time to seek further savings,” said Mr MacPherson.

“We now spend £5m less on policing Wiltshire and Swindon than we did in 2010. In that time costs have gone up with inflation, so the real cut has been considerably more.

“I was also very pleased that George Osborne has said the Government intends to give commissioners greater flexibility to raise money locally through what we call the precept, or the police element of council tax.

“Historically our force has been under-funded and I will be looking carefully at the level of funding I need to protect community policing.

“I will also continue lobbying for a fairer share of national funding. I began the campaign to address the historic unfair funding of our Force in the summer and with the unanimous support of our local MPs I will continue to press the case.

“Meanwhile it is business as usual for us. We will continue to seek ways of operating more efficiently and effectively. This will include working closely with our council partners, and with the other south west police forces.”