Community leaders have bitterly attacked "grossly unfair" funding for York police in their battle against crime.

Lord Mayor Councillor Derek Smallwood - speaking in the wake of shock news that police chief Jim Kilmartin is to retire because of concerns over staffing levels - claimed York was being denied vital cash.

Other local people and councillors have questioned whether the new Central Area, which includes York and Selby, can hit targets of reducing burglaries and car crime with the resources available.

And a York police inspector, Andy Bell, has claimed the service is being let down by a lack of recruitment of new officers.

The criticisms rained in at the annual meeting last night of the Community and Police Group - just as the Evening Press was discovering that traffic police are facing the chop under a controversial force reorganisation.

The 32 trained traffic officers in the new Central Area have been told they must reapply for their own jobs - and at least seven will be rejected.

The Evening Press has been told that morale among traffic officers is low and some feel aggrieved that the years spent updating their skills is to go to waste.

One officer said the latest cutback came as the final straw for many officers, who felt their dedication was not valued.

However, Superintendent Gary Barnett, of York Police, said each area will now get its own armed response vehicle, with the 12 officers carrying out a dual role, which will include traffic responsibilities.

And Inspector Mike I'Anson, involved in the review of the police boundaries and structure, said North Yorkshire had almost double the national average of traffic officers.

Officers will be redeployed and used to bolster local area policing, said Assistant Chief Constable Paul Kernaghan.

Superintendent Jim Kilmartin last night outlined Central Area policing priorities into the new Millennium.

He identified the areas where his officers will concentrate their efforts, which include reducing burglaries and the fear of crime as well as reducing road accidents.

But Coun Smallwood said the council had ploughed money into crime prevention and safety measures including CCTV and traffic calming programmes, which it hoped would free up police officers to concentrate on other areas. However, the injection of council cash had merely allowed funds to be diverted into policing other areas.

"A third of all crime in North Yorkshire takes place in York and 25 per cent of the population lives here," said Coun Smallwood.

"But we are not getting funding on a pro rata basis - it is grossly unfair."York's westside inspector, Andy Bell, said he felt the service was being let down by the lack of recruitment.

North Yorkshire Police have 55 officers eligible for retirement this year but is only intending to take on 12.

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