More than 130 police officers and staff are set to be cut in Hertfordshire as part of the Police and Crime Commissioner’s first budget.

Councillor David Lloyd is proposing to freeze the budget precept for 2013/14 while making £6.3 million of spending cuts.

The budget anticipates the loss of 60 police officer posts and 76 police staff posts during the next financial year.

This would reduce the number of officers working in the county to 1,900 and the number of staff to 1,762.

Councillor Lloyd said: "The Constabulary finances are in a healthy position. Our savings plans are well developed, we have a high level of reserves and performance is strong against all significant measures.

"There is no justification for seeking a further council tax increase from the public to maintain high quality policing in Hertfordshire."

A percentage of these officer posts will be lost from crime investigation roles which is losing £350,000 from its budget, while savings will also be made in intelligence support, in the control room and through collaboration with other forces.

He added: "We are a low crime county with effective police action to catch criminals and maintain low crime levels.

"This has been due in part to a consistent approach built over a number of years; I have no wish to disrupt that.

"Over time I will want to adjust priorities to ensure that the actions of the constabulary are even better focused on the needs of the Hertfordshire public.

"However, given the short time that I have been in post I do not think it would be the right time to enact fundamental change in policing."

A further £1.8 million of savings is to be made from slashing back office functions including HR, ICT, estates and finance, areas that could be outsourced to a private company.

The authority must make £36 million of savings by 2015.

The proposed budget will be discussed at the Hertfordshire Police Crime Panel meeting on Thursday (January 24).