Devon and Cornwall’s Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Hogg has warmly welcomed the Chancellor’s announcement not to make any further budget cuts to policing.

During today's Autumn Statement announcement in the House of Commons, Chancellor George Osborne has scrapped plans for cuts of up to £39 million in the force's budget with a cash freeze, which still equates to a real-terms drop in funding.

Mr Hogg, who was at a policing conference in Manchester when he heard the announcement, said: "Two weeks ago we were celebrating changing the Government position through our work in Devon and Cornwall on the funding formula.

“Today we see the product of a longer campaign to persuade Government not to proceed with disastrous cuts to police budgets.

“The change in the Government’s position makes it possible for us to plan on building a policing service for 2020. This is a service that will better meet the new and increasing crime areas such as terrorism, cyber crime and child sexual exploitation.”

Two weeks ago the force was facing savings of up to £54 million, until the Home Office admitted its calculations for a review of the police funding formula had been flawed. That admission, based in part on work done by Mr Hogg's team, meant the force avoided a £15 million cut, but was still left facing a hug funding downturn.

Responding to today's shock announcement, Mr Hogg said: “We will continue to look at efficiency savings across all of our work because the more efficient we become the more resources we can devote to front line policing.

“It is too early to say what specific impact this will have in Devon and Cornwall. We will be looking at the detail over the coming days and weeks and building our plans.”

Shadow Home Secretary Andy Burnham tweeted following Mr Osborne's announcement that the U-turn still meant a real-terms cut for police funding, writing: "By holding individual force budgets at cash levels (not real-terms), looks like Osborne has accepted Labour's position in full. A major win.

"But, as ever with Osborne, small print tells different story. Spending Review document says Police forces in line for real-terms cuts."