CUTS to the police are “devastating our communities and leaving them completely exposed,” a ward councillor claims.

Cllr Ann Marie-Watters will put forward a motion at Wednesday night’s full council meeting, calling for a letter to be sent to the government.

She is urging the Conservative administration to work with Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham to keep our communities safe and give our police forces the resources they need”.

The Westhoughton South representative is also urging the chamber to note that “police officers have been axed year-on-year to the detriment if our communities and recorded crime is rising at the fastest rate in a decade.”

Figures quoted in the motion state that, since 2010, 1911 police officers and 236 police community support officers have been cut from Greater Manchester.

And it further urges councillors to note that the cabinet is “working within the limitations of its powers to fill the gap left by police funding cuts, with the allocation of £100,00 in the 2018/19 budget for community watch schemes across the borough.”