A POLICE force which could lose 210 front-line officers due to sweeping Government funding cuts will discuss its finances next week.

North Yorkshire Police is bracing itself to lose up to 550 jobs in total over the next four years to make its budget balance.

The force is looking to save £8.9m in budget savings for 2011-12 after the Government slashed the money it is allocating to the area.

North Yorkshire Police Authority has approved pension regulation A19 which allows it to make long-serving officers take compulsory retirement.

The group has also asked officers to consider voluntary redundancy too and back office positions are affected too.

Of the 210 officers affected 105 are constables, 58 sergeants, 33 inspectors, seven chief inspectors, four superintendents and three chief superintendents.

But the force has stressed that this is a worse case scenario and that all 210 officers may not leave at once.

It added that all those who would go were nearing the end of 30-years of active service and so were set to retire.

The North Yorkshire force is looking elsewhere to make the savings.

The rural-based police force though fears even further reductions in future years on the amount of money Westminster will give to it.

Bill Baugh, vice-chairman of the police authority, said: "The plans are not fully developed but there is no threat to front-line services.

"It’s due to a lack of Government funding which has affected everyone and we have to work within this."

A long-range forecast projects that the force will need to save just over £2m in 2012-13, £9.4m in 2013-14 and £13.18m the year after.

The matter is to be discussed at a budget meeting of the authority on Monday, February 7.