TEN million pounds per year is thought to be needed to keep Greater Manchester policing at its consistently high standard.

Now Greater Manchester Police Authority is lobbying for extra cash after finding that, despite having one of the highest workloads in the country, it receive less funding than other forces.

The authority's annual meeting revealed the number of offences dealt with each officer was consistently among the best in the metropolitan forces, although the funding to investigate and prevent crime is relatively low.

GMPA chairman and Hindley Green Councillor Stephen Murphy said: "We have been concerned about the police funding formula for some time. There is no doubt it favours county forces."

It was pointed out that The GMP area is the most deprived of all provincial metropolitan forces, has the largest student population in Europe, receives more emergency 999 calls than any other similar force, and in the past year, has suffered a higher number of offences per 1,000 population than any other metropolitan force, including London.

Coun Murphy said: "We should have a minimum of £10m a year extra to provide extra policing for Greater Manchester."

Chief Constable David Wilmot announced a three per cent reduction in reported violence and almost eight per cent decrease in serious assaults.

He said: "I hope this helps to halt the perception that violence is increasing, when quite the contrary is in fact the case."

The only figure seen to rise was robbery, which increased by almost 15 per cent last year. Mr Wilmot sees robbery as the "new fashion crime".

He said: "Most offenders and victims fall into the ten-17-year-old age group, with a quarter of robberies having mobile phone theft as the property stolen during the robbery."