Front line police services could be slashed next year as the force faces a cash crisis.

Up to £6m of cuts and savings has been drawn up by Hampshire Police Authority to protect services over the coming year.

But number crunchers predict a Government spending squeeze and staff pay increases above 2.5 per cent will threaten future services.

Financing the rising cost of the new police headquarters in Southampton, now £38m, has also put a strain on the budget.

The biggest savings will come by banking £1.5m of pay during the time civilian staff vacancies remain unfilled.

Hampshire Constabulary has only just started hiring officers again after a recruitment freeze put in place last year that saw the loss of 100 officer posts.

Finance committee chairman Adrian Collett pledged there would be no job cuts this year. But authority treasurer Jon Pittam warned that there is “significant risk that budget cuts from 2011/12 onwards will impact on service delivery.”

He said “significant” cuts had already been made in recent years and it was “more difficult to continue to make efficiency savings”.

Authority members will be meeting next week to agree the £6.1m of savings to balance the a £314m budget for 2010/11.

Council tax payers will be asked to pay an extra 2.9 per cent, or £4.14 a year, taking the bill for an average band D property to £146.25.

Police officers will also be told they can no longer claim home to work travel and that a single 40p a mile rate for all staff will be brought in to save over £0.5m.

Lease cars will also no longer be made available for new starters.

Five replacement motorcycles will be cancelled and a one-off delay in replacing low mileage police vehicles has been agreed, which will save £1m.

The forensics budget will be cut alongside with spending on conferences, books and magazines, window cleaning, stationery and energy bills.

A further £100,000 will be saved in bank holiday overtime payments by reducing cover.