A POLICING finance boss has vowed Thames Valley Police will not be hit with a predicted £43.7m cuts but refused to be drawn on how much could be axed.

Research by Devon and Cornwall’s Police and Crimes Commissioner’s office suggested Thames Valley would face the largest reduction of any force in the country.

The research into a new funding formula found that TVP could face cuts of more than £43.7m, a 18 per cent reduction.

The new formula for allocating police funds – currently out to consultation – takes into account issues including population, deprivation levels and the number of pubs and bars.

According to the Western Morning Press, the Home Office had no concerns about the accuracy of the Devon and Cornwall findings.

But Thames Valley’s police and crime commissioner office’s chief finance officer Ian Thompson said cuts would not hit £43m, although he could not estimate how much the force could lose.

He said: “Each individual police force is trying to find out what the formula means for them. The guidance is not clear and we are all coming up with a different answer.

“We won’t be losing £43m but I can’t tell you whether it will be £1m, £2m, £3m or whether we will win in this.

“What it won’t mean is more money.”

He added that PCC Anthony Stansfeld would be writing to David Cameron and meeting Home Secretary Theresa May seeking clarification about the impact of the new formula.

Deputy Thames Valley Chief Constable John Campbell said: “We are engaged in consultation with the Home Office regarding the funding formula. Clearly a reduction in funding of this level would cause us significant concern and impact on our ability to maintain our current levels of service.”

Thames Valley Police Federation chairman Graham Smith urged caution about the Devon and Cornwall figures, but said if true they would be “catastrophic”.