A FUNDING shortfall could mean a cut in the number of police in Swindon, it is feared.

The Police Federation of England and Wales which represents frontline officers fears jobs could be axed if there is a budget deficit next year.

The concerns were aired as Wiltshire's new Chief Constable Martin Richards joined senior officers from across the country to lobby MPs for more cash yesterday.

Senior officers and officials fear council tax caps mean they face a £350m hole in their budgets for next year.

They say forces need a six per cent rise to maintain services but fear they may only get half that.

PC Phil Davenport, chairman of the Wiltshire branch of the Police Federation, fears that this could harm crime-fighting.

He said: "Our best guess is that if we do not get some sort of capping increase we will not be able to maintain services sufficiently in Wiltshire and Swindon.

"We would obviously try to maintain the standard of service which makes Wiltshire one of the safest counties in Britain. But something will have to go.

"My concern is to ensure that there is no reduction in the number of constables.

"This is probably an area which is being looked at."

Joining Mr Richards at the lobby in Westminster was Bertie Woolnough, chairman of Wiltshire Police Authority.

Mr Woolnough was unavailable for comment, but police authority clerk Kieran Kilgallen said that a cost-cutting exercise would protect services.

"The funding problem is not as serious for Wiltshire as for other forces," he said.

"We know there will be a shortfall between what we get from the Government and what we can raise through the precept.

"But we are confident the rise will be within a reasonable level."

Mr Kilgallen said money would be saved on backroom costs, which would not hit officers.

He was unable to disclose the planned policing precept which is added to council tax bills for next year.

Last year, it rose by 9.9 per cent.

In spite of the funding concerns raised yesterday, the Home Office says it has yet to finalise funding settlements.

A spokesman said it would take the concerns into account in calculating budgets.