POLICE and crime commissioner Bill Longmore has revealed his disappointment over a £6 million Government funding cut - saying it will hit the force hard.

The Department for Communities and Local Government has today confirmed that West Mercia Police's cash award for 2015/16 will reduce 5.1 per cent, to £110 million.

The force had been advised of the likely reduction in the autumn, but it was confirmed this morning.

Mr Longmore is now leading calls for a review into how the funding is calculated.

"I’m naturally disappointed to see more money being taken away from policing, but particularly so with the amount being diverted to the IPCC (Independent Police Complaints Commission)," he said.

"The IPCC had a considerable rise in budget last year, and yet this year, another £30m is being taken directly away from front-line policing to fund them.

"That money is desperately valuable to West Mercia and other neighbouring forces in the West Midlands, to make sure they have sufficient numbers of officers and staff to police each area properly.

"We do not want to see a situation where any force cannot operate effectively.

"I think there is a clear case for a review of the police funding formula. Some forces are particularly badly hit by the current arrangement."

The force has virtually finished an old three-year plan to shed £30 million, which kicked off in 2012 in collaboration with Warwickshire Police, including the loss of 140 front line police constable jobs.

As your Worcester News revealed last month, a new plan to save a fresh £30 million is being drawn up, kicking off next spring and running until April 2018.

The current West Mercia Police budget is around £203 million.