GWENT’S Police and Crime Commissioner has slammed “brutal” cuts to police budgets warning of the impact on frontline policing.

PCC Ian Johnston said the cuts, outlined in Wednesday’s provisional police grant settlement by the Home office, will stretch already diminishing resources at Gwent Police to “dangerous levels”.

The settlement indicates that the central government grants for policing will be reduced by 5.1 per cent in cash terms in 2015/16 compared to 2014/15, a cut of £299 million to the overall policing budget.

Gwent Police received a grant of £84.684 million in 2010/11 which was reduced to £76.844 million by 2014/15, which equates to nearly 19 per cent cash reduction.

Mr Johnston said: “Whilst I understand the need for cuts during times of austerity, I am very concerned about the rationale behind continuously reducing the budget of frontline policing.

“These on-going cuts are not sustainable and will only succeed in further stretching our already diminishing resources to dangerous levels in future. You just can’t put a price on public safety.

“This will no doubt have an adverse effect on all of the priorities outlined in my police and crime plan and these brutal cuts to policing are bound to have an impact on police service provision.

“We have already lost over 220 police officers in Gwent and nearly 170 staff members. We can’t just rely on new technology to deliver improvements in policing.

“Rural areas such as Gwent are best served by officers on the ground.“ Gwent Police is facing a recurrent financial deficit of £5.9 million in the next financial year and this will rise to at least £18.9 million by 2018/19.

Mr Johnston said he is considering a "marginal" increase in council tax precept currently built into his financial plan in a bid to help balance the books.

Mike Penning, the minister of state for policing, criminal justice and victims, said: “The police in England and Wales are facing many challenges, including new and emerging threats and a growing number of historic investigations.

“This government has always been clear that the police will have the resources they need for their important work, and this will continue to be the case in 2015/16.”

The minister also announced funding for other police operations of a “national interest” including maintaining funding for counter-terrorism policing of £564 million, providing a further £30 million for the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) and supporting HMIC’s PEEL inspection programme with £9.4 million.

Last month, Mr Johnston criticised the HMIC inspection into Gwent Police for being “unfair” and “unjust”.

He highlighted that the HMIC had been given a 77 per cent uplift in budget, compared to a 19 per cent cut in Gwent Police’s budget.

“The projected decrease in funding from central government is over and above what was initially predicted and has led to a reassessment of the approach needed to generate savings which will allow a sufficient and sustainable budget to be delivered,” added Mr Johnston.

“We are currently looking at a significant restructure of the operational policing model to future proof policing and service provision here in Gwent.

"I am also aiming to use my commissioning powers to mitigate the impact of cuts by funding partner services focussed on crime prevention to reduce demand on core policing.

"We are also looking at enhancing greater collaboration opportunities with other forces and key community partners and to use police data more effectively to send officers to areas where they are needed most. "