A HUGE slice of Government cash used to combat crime in North Yorkshire may not be available in the future because of the public spending squeeze.

Police chiefs have been told about the “uncertainty” surrounding a six-figure grant from Westminster as a report highlighted how it has helped pay for initiatives and operations aimed at countering the threat of offenders across the region.

North Yorkshire Police Authority received £357,229 from the Home Office from the Basic Command Unit (BCU) Fund in 2009/10, which was earmarked for schemes intended to boost confidence in how police and local authorities deal with crime and antisocial behaviour. But an analysis of its effects which went before the authority’s performance and scrutiny board this week said its future is up in the air ahead of the October completion of the Government’s public spending review.

“With the current uncertainty of national and local public sector funding, there is no guarantee this funding source will be available to North Yorkshire Police in future,” said the report.

“However, planning is underway to ensure the results achieved using this funding can continue to be achieved through different ways of working.”

North Yorkshire Police’s central area command team used £166,862 of the BCU cash, with some devoted to funding Selby’s Night Marshals scheme, a pilot project focusing on tackling drink-fuelled problems.

“An analysis of criminal statistics shows that, in respect of three aims of the scheme, violent crime is down overall by 64 per cent and incidents of criminal damage and minor disorder are also down,” it said.

It estimated night marshals has so far potentially saved between £92,392 and £167,392 in criminal investigation costs, while the BCU funding also contributed to Operation ALTN8, a York scheme aimed at alcohol-related violence and disorder, and paid for off-road motorcycles to combat antisocial behaviour linked to vehicles.

Meanwhile, £60,000 was spent on Safer Neighbourhood initiatives in York and Selby and £10,000 on hate crime research, while the force’s eastern area, covering Scarborough and Ryedale, concentrated much of its share on initiatives linked to domestic violence.