A POLICE force’s £200,000 plans to improve security at its rural headquarters could be scrapped as budget cuts bite deep.

North Yorkshire Police was looking into proposals to erect a fence along with a lockable gate at its Newby Wiske base, near Northallerton.

The force was prepared to spend £200,000 on the venture to keep the base safe but national funding cuts has cast doubt on the proposals.

North Yorkshire Police Authority members have been told that under the current economic climate the plan was not deemed as a priority.

The force is looking to make £6.2m in budget savings over the coming year and the plans are to be re-examined in the light of future budget constraints.

The force’s headquarters is based in a large mansion-style building surrounded by trees and it is set back off the road.

Former North Yorkshire Police chief constable Della Cannings sparked anger in 2006 when she spent £24,000 for an private office refit which included a shower at the building.

North Yorkshire’s chief constable Grahame Maxwell said: "Modern policing is incredibly complex with officers responding to a huge range of incidents every day.

"Some of this work is very visible to local communities, while other elements of this important work are not.

"Chiefs now face some tough choices in times of constrained funding and while the full extent of cuts will not become clear until the autumn, we are planning for a range of scenarios."

The news comes as North Yorkshire Police unveils plans to build a state of the art police station at Harrogate.

The facility for Beckwith Knowle will replace the North Park Road station but the force will not state yet how much it will cost.

Chief constable Maxwell said: "Many people will question why we are spending such a substantial amount of money in light of government funding cuts.

"The reality is the existing station would cost over half the amount of the new build just to repair and would only give us another ten years’ service."

The force is also looking into spending £500,000 less on fleet cars this year and it has a recruitment freeze too.