A DEMAND for an urgent meeting with North Yorkshire's Chief Constable, Della Cannings, to discuss calls for extra police officers in York has been rejected by city leaders at a stormy meeting.

Labour opposition group leader Dave Merrett urged a full meeting of City of York Council last night to back his call for an immediate meeting with Ms Cannings to discuss the issue.

He said the police force's central area - which includes York and Selby - was now suffering 52 per cent of the county's crime, but was only receiving 32 per cent of its funding.

Ms Cannings has previously declined an invitation to meet the council's economic development and community safety scrutiny board.

Coun Merrett said Ms Cannings' refusal to attend a meeting meant the council had no choice but to demand one.

He called the front-line police levels in York "wholly inadequate", saying violent crime had doubled in the last two years.

He said: "Something needs to be done. The police in the city centre have been in single figures - they have only really been able to deal with the most serious problems at those times."

But amid cries of "shame" from Labour members, the Liberal Democrat majority voted for a substantial amendment to Coun Merrett's proposals, rejecting his call for a meeting with Ms Cannings.

Instead, they voted to support York representatives on North Yorkshire Police Authority in their campaign to seek more police in the city.

The council's chief executive, David Atkinson, is also to write to local MPs asking them to back an application for more community police support officers (CPSOs) for the city.

Police authority member Coun Irene Waudby said crime levels in York were improving.

North Yorkshire Police spokesman Ron Johnson said Ms Cannings was planning to meet city leaders in June.

Updated: 10:45 Friday, April 30, 2004