North Yorkshire Police Crime Commissioner signs letter threatening legal action against policing cuts

Seven police and crime commissioners - including North Yorkshire's Julia Mulligan, have written to policing minister Mike Penning urging him to delay a decision on force budgets expected in the Government's spending review this month.

The changes to the police funding formula will result in cuts that are "unfair, unjustified and deeply flawed", they said in a letter seen by the Independent.

Their intervention comes after senior police officers warned of safety fears as front-line services could be affected by further cuts, while the Home Secretary

Theresa May has insisted forces can be more efficient.

Stephen Greenhalgh, London's deputy mayor for policing and crime, has signed the letter along with the commissioners of the Cumbria, Lancashire, Devon and Cornwall, Merseyside, North Yorkshire and Thames Valley forces.

According to the paper, the letter said: "We believe this process should be halted immediately and the process redesigned to five forces and commissioners the information and time they need to make a proper and fair assessment of its consequences. It is with much regret that we are therefore taking legal advice with a view to initiating a judicial review, should our concerns not be addressed."

Chancellor George Osborne has asked ministers in non-protected departments - such as the Home Office - to come up with reductions in their budgets of between 25% and 40% by 2019/20 ahead of the Comprehensive Spending Review on November 25, when the Government's plans for the next four years will be set out.