DYFED Powys Police has had its budget slashed by £900,000 under the new coalition government.

Senior officers and the Police Authority are now trying to work out how to meet this “significant challenge” after news came from the Home Office last Thursday (May 27).

Chief Constable Ian Arundale said: “Balancing the budget is going to be extremely difficult in these circumstances but we are absolutely committed to ensuring that this will not affect the delivery of front line policing.

“We have already taken steps to freeze the filling of all non-essential job vacancies across the force and we will be further scrutinising all items of non-pay expenditure.”

Authority chair Delyth Humfreys said she was confident the area would retain its position as the safest place to live in all of England and Wales.