SAFER neighbourhood sergeants across Hillingdon face having to reapply for their jobs under a new review agreed by the police.

Of the 624 wards across London, each SNT currently includes a sergeant. This will soon no longer be the case, now a decision has been made to cut 300 sergeant posts. 150 sergeant positions will cease to exist from this September, with a further 150 to be cut by 2014.

The decision was agreed at a Metropolitan Police Authority meeting on Thursday.

The Met is no longer replacing vacant posts, and undertaking an HR process to select sergeants to continue.

The MPA report states: "The current team model of one sergeant to five staff in the SN context is too ‘supervision rich’ in most circumstances. The analysis of the demand across wards means that while management ratio is consistent, workload is disproportionate between quieter and busier wards."

Sergeants who continue will be faced with an increased workload, covering more than one SNT.

The review also announces that hours SNTs work can be changed, to suit the demand of communities, looking at increased weekend coverage.

Paul Stone, chair of the Harefield Neighbourhood Watch, said: "Our safer neighbourhood team works very well, they are motivated and well run, and work very efficiently for the village. If they start tinkering with that, it could have adverse effects. I understand the situation with money and finances, but when it comes to law and order my view is that the frontline should not be cut."

Rita Kiss, of the Fairholme Crescent Neighbourhood Watch in Hayes, said: "Currently they have one sergeant per team and I think that is how it should stay, but we understand cutbacks have to be made.

"All we ask is that officers are out there on the beat at all times, all you have to do is look at last week's Gazette, with the story about 50 car windows being smashed in, to see the police are needed."

The police are also reviewing closing front counters at stations, operating with a minimum of one per borough. This puts at risk Ruislip, Northwood, and Hayes, which had its opening hours extended just 12 months ago, leaving Uxbridge as the sole counter to report crimes, however, no decision has yet been made on this subject.

The Met Police are attempting to make £600 million worth of savings by 2014/15.

What are your views on the police cutbacks? E-mail editorialuxbridge@trinitysouth.co.uk