HARROW police have admitted they will not be immune to Government budget cuts expected next month.

Chief Superintendent Dal Babu, Borough Commander for Harrow, told a community meeting last night the current Met police recruitment freeze has already meant three PCSOs who left have not been replaced.

The coalition's comprehensive spending review will see budgets shrink across the public sector and many in council's, police forces and health bodies up and down the country are bracing themselves for the possibility of bad news.

Mr Babu said: “We will focus on front line services but we live in a world where the police service will be part of the comprehensive spending review.

“What we need to do is make sure that we utilise our resources effectively.”

Police have confirmed the three PCSOs who have already left were station reception officers and were not members of safer neighbourhoods teams.

Councillor Bill Stephenson, Labour leader of Harrow Council, said he was concerned about the possible affect the recruitment freeze could have on neighbourhood policing in future.

He said: “I don't know if I accept the idea that our neighbourhood teams should be depleted.

“I think we need to join cross party and fight to keep out safer neighbourhood teams if we can.”

He added: “We do need, even in the most safe wards, to have that presence so people know they are there. Not only so that they are safe, but that they feel safe.”

Councillor Susan Hall, leader of the Tory opposition, said: “Every one of us should be extremely proud of our police service here.

“Whatever cuts are thrown at us, the borough commander and his team will cope with it and so will we as residents.”

The Conservative/Lib Dem coalition is cutting public spending in order to tackle debt and blames the previous Labour administration for the problem.