AN attempt to register a vote of no confidence in the senior management of Cleveland Police has been comprehensively defeated.

Two members of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council tabled a motion calling for the outgoing Chief Constable Iain Spittal and the Police and Crime Commissioner Barry Coppinger to be held account for residents' concerns about a lack of police presence in the borough.

Councillors Bill Clarke and Ann Higgins sparked the debate at a full council meeting when they said residents have no confidence in the senior management team.

Cllr Clarke said: "Policing is affecting our residents lives on a daily basis. We know that problems with anti-social behaviour are on the increase and we can put that down to the reduction of police officers in the area."

Labour councillor Alec Brown, who is also a member of the Cleveland Police and Crime Panel, leapt to the defence of the force leadership.

He said: "I can assure everyone that if the force had the money to replace the 450 officers it has lost, and have officers back on the streets, they would."

Cllr Stuart Smith, who is a retired police officer, said: "After serving for 30 years, I was retired out of the force and the reason given – one experienced bobby could be replaced by two young bobbies – it never happened."

The motion was defeated by 31 votes to 12.