POLICE chiefs in Humberside are to dip into their reserves of cash to help them cope with almost £16 million in cuts over the next two years.

Humberside Police is to shed more than 140 jobs in the next year and is faced with having to save £30 million by 2016, with £10.6 million of that total to be found in 2011/12.

The force’s police authority has agreed to freeze its element of council tax for the next financial year and to use £6 million of its reserves in the wake of budget reductions totalling £7.1 million in 2011/12 and £8.7 million the year after.