The figures are not confirmed but they are not going to be far off. It has been estimated that Thames Valley Police could face £40m in cuts.

Chief Constable Francis Habgood has already talked about the “difficult choices” that must be tackled as finances continue to take a beating.

Someone needs to explain to the people of Oxfordshire how they are going to be policed in the future. Hints have been dropped, ideas bandied about, subtle warnings given.

Yet no one has actually been clear about what exactly they expect to see. Talk of citizens taking more responsibility, officers doing more stuff online, it’s all come from different police chiefs yet no exact plan or vision has been outlined.

The worst thing the force could do is to start waving the inevitable axe about without keeping people informed of every step.

If this £40m figure is likely, then they need to say so, and the top brass in the force need to come up with a plan, which must be conveyed to the public and not hidden behind PR bluster and spin-doctor fluff.

This is a serious issue and must be treated as such.

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