POLICING in Essex was now in a perilous situation, the county’s police and crime commissioner has warned.

Nick Alston told residents and councillors gathered at a recent meeting was struggling to provide a service in the face of swingeing Government austerity cuts.

The force, he said, was doing its best, but was being expected to slash its annual budget by £60m by 2020.

Mr Alston said previous cuts meant the force now had 600 fewer police officers than in 2011, adding: “The situation is now perilous.

“It is much better for me to make the case coherently, explaining the facts. My chief constable has explained the position.

He will deliver the most effective police force he can with the money he has been given.”

Sitting beside Mr Alston on the platform, Chief Constable Stephen Kavanagh described the present situation as the most difficult set of circumstances since the war.

He now had fewer than 3,000 officers on the force, and he felt 3,000 was the least he felt was acceptable.

Mr Kavanagh said the Government was forcing through police cuts atatime when the nature of crime was changing .

The force was now expected to find extra resources to deal with child abuse, child trafficking, children with mental health issues, online grooming and other cyber-crime.

He added: “We have to make cuts and it is unfortunate we have to deal with the issues surrounding that.

“I’m trying to deliver in the same difficult set of circumstances last seen in wartime.”

The Chief Constable said the force was still hoping to be able to spend less on its buildings.

Analysis of the number of people visiting police stations to report crime suggested some of the less busy front counters could probably be cut.

A rationalisation process was also taking place to determine which buildings needed to be retained and which could be disposed of.

Other issues touched upon included the length of time officers took to respond to calls and whether extra money for policing might be raised through the police precept householders pay as part of their council tax bills.