George Osborne says there will be no cuts to the police budget - news welcomed by key local figures.
The Chancellor made the announcement as part of his spending review this afternoon, prompting relief from local MPs and Police bosses.
Cumbria's Police and Crime Commissioner, Richard Rhodes said:“I am relieved that the police budget has been spared further cuts.
“We now need to have a transparent debate with the Home Office on the principles of the funding formula in order to protect policing in the county.
“Meanwhile I would like to take this opportunity to thank the people of Cumbria for their support. It is only by working together that we can get our voice heard.”
The policing grant is the main income stream and accounts for nearly two-thirds of the force's overall budget. Cumbria's Chief Constable Jerry Graham said: “We welcome today’s announcement on the protection of police budgets at this time, which will help us to continue to effectively police Cumbria following the savings we have already made.
“Over the next few weeks we will begin planning budget forecasts for the coming years, this will still be subject to the outcome of the delayed police funding formula consultation.”
South Lakes MP Tim Farron said: "It was a relief to see the government U-turn on a number of issues which I have been fighting for.
“Over the past few months, residents of South Lakeland have joined me in campaigning to protect Cumbria Police, and the government has finally listened and backed down. The government has also U-turned on its proposed tax credit changes, which would have hit the poorest hardest. I am also pleased to see that the government has provided extra funding for mental health services, which the Lib Dems have long sought to push up the agenda.
“However, there remain many concerns following this review. Osborne has been bailed out by an improvement in the growth projections for the economy, but policies such as cutting funding for further education and for tackling climate change will prove to be a short term gamble. Cuts to welfare will still mean that the poorest end up bearing a disproportionate burden, whilst action on housing does not go far enough."
Furness MP John Woodcock says he's delighted there won't be any cuts to Cumbria's Police force - but he wants that in writing.
"They were absolutely implementing what would have been devastating cuts to front line policing, to our communities and it is the communities rising up with the support of Labour and others to say no this cannot be allowed to happen, but we need the confirmation now.
"That's why I'm writing to the home secretary today that this does mean that the big force reduction plans that were planned for the area have been completely scrapped," he said.
Meanwhile, Morecambe's Conservative MP David Morris called us moments later from the House of Commons. He says he's pleased for local police forces.
"In the original stages it has to be said it was the conservative Lancashire MP's that actually spoke with Mike Penning, myself being one of them, about the funding formula and it was actually the conservative MP's that found a flaw in the funding formula.
"This is responsible government that we're in and at the end of the day the Chancellor's listened, the funding formula has been scrapped and there's going to be no cuts to the police force whatsoever."
He also says it's time to move on from what he's described as Labour "scaremongering".
"It just shows you that the politicisation of cuts does not work.
"There's going to be more money for Morecambe, we're talking about more money for modular nuclear power stations, more infrastructure programs off the back of what's happened with the link road and also help to buy your new home," he said.
"You can talk all you like about cuts and who's going to be affected by cuts, but it's only until the budget or in this case the comprehensive spending review has been announced that you can see what exactly is going to happen and in this case Labour have just been scaremongering, simple as that.
MP for Lancaster and Fleetwood, Cat Smith says the details of today's Comprehensive Spending Review still be emerging, but says some of the moves are positive.
"I welcome any u-turn George Osborne is willing to make on cuts to tax credits and policing budgets which have been key campaigns I have been fighting over the past weeks and months.
"Sadly those on Universal Credit will still see their living standards squeezed and when we have already lost 17,000 police officers no further cuts to policing doesn't mean much to those police staff who have lost their jobs already.
"In addition deep cuts are being made to many departments that will have harmful consequences.
"Cuts to the Department of Transport and Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for example, will have a detrimental impact on services and jobs locally."
"I'm concerned that, despite promises from the Prime Minister that he would have balanced the books by now the deficit is set to be almost £70 billion this year and that manufacturing output is still more that 6% below its pre-crisis level.
"The UK's current account deficit reached the highest level ever recorded last year - 5.1%.
"George Osborne is opening a deficit with the future. His choices today will leave future generations to pick up the bill," she said.
Lancashire's Police and Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw has welcomed the Government's decision to freeze police budgets as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review, labelling the decision a victory for common sense reached partly as a result of the campaign mounted by Lancashire people to cut the cuts.
He said: "Together local residents, our officers, staff and local politicians stood up and we said we could not take any more cuts and now it appears the Government has listened to the case we put forward.
"First they had to halt the funding formula review after I and other Commissioners raised issues with their basic maths and now they have conceded and agreed with our argument that now is not the time to cut our police.
"I wrote to the Home Secretary and the Prime Minister this week, spelling out exactly that police budgets should not take any more cuts, particularly in the light of the recent terrorist attacks.
"It seems they have listened and put public safety ahead of spending cuts."
But the Commissioner warned that because the budgets were protected we wouldn't see an increase in services and it wasn't the end of austerity.
He said: "We haven't seen the end of the assault on Police budgets by any means, but we have a reprieve.
"There is no doubt that the funding review will come back soon, but we will again put forward a strong case for Lancashire and for policing as a whole," he said.
Chief Constable of Lancashire Constabulary Steve Finnigan gave his reaction. “Today the Chancellor George Osborne has announced that there will be no further cuts to police budgets.
“I am delighted by what is clearly welcome news especially as just six weeks ago I outlined what I saw as catastrophic proposals for policing in Lancashire as a result of today’s forecasted Comprehensive Spending Review, changes to the police funding formula, and the cuts we have already made.
“Today’s announcement that there will be no further cuts means the future is looking much brighter and I would like to thank our staff, the people of Lancashire, the Police and Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw, the Police Federation, Unison and all those who have lobbied tirelessly to make the government aware of the risks of further cuts and I would like to thank the Home Office and the Treasury for listening to the points we were making.
“The positive attitude shown by all officers and staff during these challenging and uncertain times can only be described as outstanding and their commitment to serve and protect the public has never wavered.
“Although today’s news is good, we cannot be complacent. Cumulatively we have seen our budget reduce by £74m since 2010. Changes to the funding formula have been delayed until 2017 after it became clear that the Home Office made an error with the funding formula calculations, but it is still a cloud hanging over us and we cannot forget about this.
“The changes we have been developing as part of our organisational change programme we still intend to implement, in order to deliver required savings and to improve the policing services through a more efficient and effective organisational model. We will continue to reconfigure the organisation to focus on priority high risk areas like public protection, counter terrorism and cybercrime to improve delivery while minimising the impact on frontline policing.
“Following recent horrific recent events in Paris there has been a lot of talk about the erosion of a neighbourhood policing, which would have been hugely regrettable given its role in providing information and intelligence about suspected terrorist activity or any other type of criminality. This is the crown jewel of policing in Lancashire and something we will continue to invest in.
“We have committed to keeping the public safe by delivering three core services – local policing, a 24/7 response and tackling serious and complex crime.
“Early Action will remain a key organisational priority to deliver problem solving and reducing the repeat demand we see from people at their most vulnerable, those who have gone missing and are at risk of self-harm, those with mental health problems and those who are socially isolated and unable to take care of themselves. This prevents escalation to a more serious and costly crisis which inevitably impacts on police resources and those of other agencies.
“I would once again like to pass on my thanks to all my officers and staff for their continued hard work and dedication. I have no doubt the organisation will look different in the next five to ten years but I am now optimistic that we will continue to be able to provide a quality service to the people of Lancashire that keeps them safe from harm.”