POLICE budget cuts have resulted in a fall in the numbers of officers across the country, despite residents’ pleas to have more bobbies on the streets.

But in one area of Bolton, a nifty solution has been found.

The Westhoughton neighbourhood police team is one that has felt the brunt of cuts. The town’s branch was slashed from a full police station filled with staff, to just two police constables and three community support officers based in a different station.

In response to the dwindling numbers, members of the Westhoughton Town Council took matters into their own hands and resolved to assist the neighbourhood police.

Their solution was to begin providing a hire car to the police, using funding from its own budget.

The council says the streets will be safer because of the additional resource as Westhoughton’s police suffered so badly as a result of the cutbacks. The police can also make use of the unmarked hire car to go undercover and patrol the streets without drawing attention to themselves.

This week, the councillors again approved another year of funding for the car.

Councillor Kevan Jones opened the discussion at Monday’s town council meeting by talking about the successful history of the scheme, which first began around nine years ago.

He said: “This is something that we have done for a number of years, supporting the police with a vehicle to use in the Westhoughton area.”

Councillor David Wilkinson agreed, saying that the hire car can make all the difference.

He said: “I know there are issues with the levels of policing.

“They do find it invaluable. To give the police an additional resource which they do not have due to policing cuts, it gives that other option.

“The Westhoughton police team has been cut by 50 per cent.

“Westhoughton is a relatively safe place, but crime still takes place and more than it used to.

“It’s had an effect on crime everywhere not just in Westhoughton.”

Just last year, Westhoughton saw the departure of its longest-serving police officer, which led to public concerns over how the position would be filled.

PC Paul Griffiths spent 19 years protecting the town as a beat officer and when he announced his retirement from the police force, the area sergeant admitted that the loss would further stretch an “under pressure” neighbourhood policing team.

Amid doubts as to whether there would be a replacement, PC McTinsley stepped into the role in December, 2018.

The approval given for the hire car not only comes after the continued call for more police on the streets, but also in the wake of the Westhoughton police team being moved to Horwich.

Westhoughton’s own police station in Wigan Road was closed and replaced with a police post in Pavilion Square, before the presence was removed entirely.

Cllr Wilkinson said: “Our nearest police station is now in Horwich. It takes a lot of time to get from Horwich to here — a car is an effective tool.”

The main policing issues in the Westhoughton area include vehicle-related crime, waves of burglaries and anti-social behaviour.

Councillors also spoke of an increased presence of youths spilling on to the streets of the town and congregating in parks in higher numbers than usual.

The council requested more information from the police to discover how much help is really needed.

Cllr Wilkinson said: “Every so often we need as a council to have information from the police about the value for money, the efficiency of it and the use of it. It needs to be made clear why we are doing this.”

There are hopes that pressure on a limited police force will begin to lift in the coming years, for Greater Manchester as a whole.

Though the total number of police officers currently stands at almost 2,000 fewer than in 2010, when there were 8,219 officers, 320 new officers will be hired thanks to a council tax rise in the region. The addition will lift the number of officers to 6,570.

Greater Manchester Police chief Constable Ian Hopkins said: “We have been working hard to transform the way we deliver policing, and this will continue. The additional officers will be able to help us continue our commitment to neighbourhood policing and create a proactive team that can be sent to crime hotspots. It moves us some way towards the 7,000 officers I believe we need to police Greater Manchester.”