A £300million investment plan has been launched to bring policing 'back to basics' - with a real focus in community policing.

The 10-year plan has been announced by Lancashire police and crime commissioner Andrew Snowden in what he says is the ‘largest investment into the constabulary in living memory’.

The five-point plan will see more investment in officers on the street, the re-opening of local police stations and training facilities, the launch of a specialist rape and sexual offence team, a sustainable new fleet and a push on digital and cyber capabilities.

Mr Snowden said: “This is the biggest investment into Lancashire Constabulary ever.

“My predecessor was closing police stations, I am opening them.

“We are going back to basics. We want people to have confidence in the police again.

“This isn’t about picking up from eight or nine years of difficult financial management for the country – it's about going back to looking at the level of investment in the 90s that still won't surpass what we are doing now.

“Whilst some of it is picking up from austerity, but actually, the crime types have shifted so much from 10 years ago.”

The plan will go alongside hundreds of extra police officers being recruited through the Government's 'uplift programme'.

Due to the training necessary, some of the proposed changes will take several years to deliver.

Critics have said that the uplift programme will only repair some of the damage done by years of cuts forces such as Lancashire suffered in the 2010s.

Mr Snowden added: “One thing we are asking is for the public to bear with us. I can give more for more officers to get on our streets but we won’t see them for three years.”

The top priority is to get tough on anti-social behaviour, with £1.2m announced for a new command and taskforce.

Other priorities include organised crime, cracking down on burglary and robbery and targeting dangerous drivers.

A dedicated rape and sexual assault unit will be created to target offenders and to ensure better outcomes for victims.

To support these priorities a Safer Lancashire Neighbourhoods Scheme has also been announced to invest up to £5m into initiatives that tackle crime hotspots. Lancashire will see increased asset seizures and high-profile operations to take the fight to criminals.

The plan's publication follows consultation and will be used to hold the Chief Constable and the police service to account on behalf of residents of Lancashire.

Chief Constable Chris Rowley has said that the investment will see a new type of police including the increase in neighbourhood policing teams, targeted operations and a larger presence of officers on the streets.

Mr Rowley said: “The public can already see the plan in action. This week we have launched Operation Vanquish.

“We will be taking the fight to criminals through a force initiative, bringing all resources together; there will be executing warrants, locking up individuals, visibility to reduce anti-social behaviour, seizing vehicles.

“It's that taking that relentless fight, day in day out to make sure that Lancashire is a hostile place for criminals.”