Madam, My recent letters have led to comments from some of your readers. I am happy to respond to these. Prime Minister David Cameron is cutting funding to our Police by 20%. Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary (HMIC) stated on July 2nd that forces plan to cut workforces by 32,400, including at least 15000 officers. HMIC added that further reductions in police staff may be required to meet the Government's spending cut target.

The policy of the last Labour Government was to introduce a 12% cut. On 20th July 2010 HMIC stated that police funding could be cut by 12% without reducing police numbers. Both Labour and Conservatives have frozen police pay. Public service cuts are necessary in these difficult double dip recession times. It just doesn't make sense to try to cut crime by cutting the police. On 17th August the Police Federation wrote to the Home Secretary stating: "It is clear that forces have already started down the road of privatising key policing areas.

"Home Secretary, we are not scaremongering or anti-reform and we have attempted to work with you to find savings, but in recent years our concerns about the erosion of British policing have been dismissed and ignored".

No matter how many or few people are present I will continue to hold meetings to discuss these important issues with members of the public.

Dr Simon Murphy

Labour Candidate for West Mercia Police and Crime Commission