A POLICE force last night warned of "difficult decisions" ahead after revealing it would make cuts of £1m over the next financial year.

The warning from County Durham police came as the Home Office confirmed how much each police authority would receive in revenue grants for 2005/6.

The police authority in Durham saw its grant rise from £84.2m to £87.8m, but said it needed an extra £7m just to stand still in terms of matching its current spending.

Director of finance Patrick Melia said that, to balance the books, savings of £1m would have to be found.

However, he ruled out a cut in the force's record number of frontline officers.

He said: "Some difficult decisions lie ahead, but there is no need for alarm because we are on an even keel as a result of prudent financial management over the last ten years."

A number of measures were in place, including cutting back on capital projects and drawing £2.34m from its reserves.

Added financial pressures include increased pension costs and the loss of funding from renting part of the Aykley Heads headquarters after the closure of a regional police training centre on the site.

A force spokesman would not comment on where further cuts could be made, nor whether they could affect other staff in areas such as administration and support.

He said: "Our costs go up every year and the fact is that, although we are getting more money, it is not enough."

The grant makes up about half of police forces' funding, with the rest coming from council tax and specific ring-fenced grants.

Home Office Minister Hazel Blears said there would be an increase in total police funding of nearly £750m in 2005/6.

Police authorities in Cleveland, North Yorkshire and Northumbria all saw rises in their revenue grants of between three and four per cent.