WEST Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner Mark Burns-Williamson told MPs the Government is taking a "gamble" on public safety with proposed police budget cuts.

Mr Burns-Williamson and Temporary Chief Constable Dee Collins met West Yorkshire MPs to explain what cuts of between 25 and 40 per cent, set out in the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR), could mean for policing and community safety across the county.

He also warned a 40 per cent cut would be "catastrophic and unthinkable", adding that he wanted to protect neighbourhood policing.

Mr Burns-Williamson said: "During the meeting I told the MPs in no uncertain terms about what yet more cuts would mean. The Government is taking a gamble with public safety.

"Even at the lowest end of the proposed cuts, 25 per cent, on top of what is already a greatly reduced policing budget, we are looking at a different policing service to what people know.

"If a 25 per cent cut goes through people will see a change in how West Yorkshire Police goes about everything it does – from tackling anti-social behaviour to keeping people safe from the threat of terrorism.

"Either way the Government would be taking a massive gamble but there is still time to stop these deep and damaging cuts.

"I urged the MPs to use their influence to join me in the fight against the level of cuts and to protect neighbourhood policing."

During the meeting at the House of Commons, Mr Burns-Williamson and the Temporary Chief Constable reiterated their commitment to neighbourhood policing.

He added: "As long and I am Police and Crime Commissioner neighbourhood policing will be a top priority and it plays a vital role in making sure our communities are safer and feel safer.

“The Temporary Chief Constable and I are doing our very best to maintain this commitment but less money means less resources. We have already gone from an organisation in 2010 with just over 10,000 people to one which now has just over 8,000."

Temporary Chief Constable Dee Collins said: "Until we know the scale of the Government cuts, we cannot predict with any certainty just how they will impact upon our services and in what areas."