GWENT Police is cutting 80 jobs over the next year as the force begins efforts to plug the £24.1 million gap it faces.

At a special meeting of Gwent Police Authority on Friday, outgoing Chief Constable Mick Giannasi said the force had challenging times ahead as it tries to trim a fifth off its budget over the next four years.

The force will have a budget of £121.708 million in 2011/12, compared with £121.616 million in 2010/11.

Mr Giannasi said the force will have to terminate 40 police staff agency posts, combined with 40 more jobs they expect to lose naturally through people retiring and moving on.

Unison's Gwent Police branch secretary, Linda Sweet, said: "We knew this was on the cards and agency staff would be disposed of, their duties will fall to existing staff."

The police precept was recommended to rise by 3.7 per cent, increasing the cost of a Band D household from £181.38 to £188.09.

Budget proposals include a pay freeze for police officers and police staff in 2011/12 and 2012/13.

Moneysaving schemes already in use include Gwent Police sharing a legal service with its South Wales counterparts. Premises sharing with councils and other authorities are areas being looked into to ease running costs for all concerned.

Unanimously approving the budget, Newport council leader Matthew Evans said the authority could not describe itself as happy with the settlement, but content. This was echoed by other authority members.