POLICE bosses and politicians have welcomed news Gwent Police will be able to recruit an extra 62 officers, but concerns have been raised over the timescale of the UK government's plans, and the limitations of funding.

Earlier this week, the home secretary revealed how many extra police officers each force in England and Wales would be allowed to recruit by the end of 2020/21 – the first stage of fulfilling prime minister Boris Johnson's pledge to hire 20,000 officers in the next three years.

READ MORE: Gwent Police can recruit 62 new officers in first wave of UK government's drive to boost ranks

The UK government will spend £750 million on the first wave of recruits.

Jeff Cuthbert, Gwent's police and crime commissioner, said this funding would only cover salaries and associated costs "for the first few years".

"We are still looking to the government to provide clarity on how these posts will be funded in the future," he added.

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Gwent Police's chief constable, Pam Kelly, said the force would still have to consider how to "balance the budget" despite the government's investment promise.

"There are additional costs that come hand-in-hand with the recruitment of officers such as training, uniform and equipment costs, and we are therefore considering all of these factors in order to balance the budget while – at the same time – increasing our frontline policing presence and officer numbers in areas where there is high demand," she said.

Mr Cuthbert said the Gwent force's budget had been cut by 40 per cent in real terms since the start of the UK Government’s austerity programme in 2011.

"This has increasingly shifted the financial burden onto local tax payers, and this could mean that the public pay more for these officers through their council tax in the future," he said.

Islwyn MP Chris Evans said Mr Johnson should clarify when the public could expect to see these new police officers on the beat.

Following a recent visit to Blackwood Police Station, where he spent a shift with officers on-duty, Mr Evans said: "My day with the police showed me not just how hard they work but how much their time is demanded.

"While the new prime minister may be promising more bobbies on the beat, they are yet to materialise, and that means the police’s resources are currently under immense pressure."

Newport West MP Ruth Jones, who made increasing the number of police officers central to her successful campaign ahead of the by-election earlier this year, also cautiously welcomed the news.

"Any extra officers are to be welcomed, however, even with these new officers, numbers are still below their 2010 levels," she said. "The effect of nine years of Tory austerity on our police force is clear and this formulaic approach to increasing numbers just displays the Tory indifference for the people of Gwent.

"Additional questions remain, such as how long these officers will take to train and where they will be based. We need our modern police force to be able to adapt and respond to the issues facing society and I look forward to continue working with Gwent Police and the new officers to ensure our communities in Newport West remain safe and secure."

In addition to the 62 officers promised by the UK government, Gwent Police has begun its own recruitment drive and plans to hire 60 officers during the current financial year.

“Policing is an excellent career and I would encourage anyone who would like to help make a difference in our local communities, to join Gwent Police," Ch Con Kelly said.