THE restructuring of Cheshire Constabulary will undermine community policing.

These are the concerns raised by Warrington North MP Helen Jones who has accused police and crime commissioner John Dwyer of neglecting the north of Warrington while carrying out a shake-up of the force.

Helen Jones said: “It has always been difficult for the police to provide enough coverage for areas away from the town centre. Now we are seeing the result of Tory cuts to the service.

"We have already lost 199 officers in Cheshire and are likely to lose more.

“As I understand it, officers will have to travel to the areas they are policing and return for the end of their shift. Some PCSOs have been told that they may have to travel by bus.

“This will dramatically reduce the time that police and PCSOs can spend in the area they police and fundamentally undermines community policing.

“It is no use the commissioner telling us that there will be no impact on policing if this goes ahead.

"I am seriously concerned that now we have a commissioner who stood as a Conservative candidate for the job he is taking political decisions about where the cuts will fall and that Labour areas will suffer."

Mr Dwyer was contacted for a comment but has yet to respond.

But a spokesman for Cheshire Police has confirmed that the constabulary is currently undergoing a transitional process of restructure based on the need to make financial savings of £34million over the next four years.

The spokesman said: "Maintaining and improving the delivery of visible and effective neighbourhood policing and being accountable for the policing service we deliver to the public remains paramount."