YORK Central MP Hugh Bayley has called for an end to police spending cuts, pointing out crime is on the rise in York.

Home Office figures show the number of offences recorded by York police in 2010/11 was 15,199, compared with 14,480 the year before.

The figure had fallen every year since 2004/05, when there were 23,080 crimes recorded.

Mr Bayley said: “When crime starts to rise it is very difficult to turn the tide and squeeze it back down again.

“It is a false economy to cut the police budget.