TWO of Bolton's neighbourhood police teams have started working together so officers can be deployed to flash points more easily.

Bolton South and Bolton Central are now being supervised by the same senior officers.

But Bolton's lead police officer Chf Supt Shaun Donnellan insists the move does not amount to "cost-cutting".

Instead the two teams, which will not be formally merged, will collaborate to share intelligence and more effectively tackle the most pressing incidents in the town centre and south Bolton.

Insp Chris Evans retired from his post in Farnworth last month, but will not be directly replaced, although Ch Supt Donnellan said no staff would be lost as the move will free up another inspector to work on specialist operations.

He also said the two teams will remain as separate entities, having previously vowed to protect neighbourhood policing from government budget cuts.

Ch Supt Donnellan said: "This is a collaboration between two neighbourhood teams.

"It will be exactly the same teams working from the same place.

"It just makes it easier to deploy staff to the place of the greatest need.

"We have not lost any staff. We now have another inspector on specialist operations.

"It is not cost-cutting. No staff have been lost.

"It will be better. Say you have a big incident in Farnworth, we will be able to deploy more officers there, and not be deflected by other jobs."

The changes, which take effect this month, will see Insp Nicki Tompsett and Det Insp Sarah May take responsibility for Farnworth, Kearsley, Little Lever, Hulton and Westhoughton, on top of the town centre, Deane, Daubhill and Great Lever.

Previously an inspector and a detective inspector were allocated to each of the three Bolton neighbourhood teams, as is currently the case with Bolton North.

Insp Tompsett said: "The role brings exciting challenges and allows us to more dynamically allocate resources providing a more collaborated response to the needs of our communities.

"Most importantly however to the people of Bolton is the knowledge that all the neighbourhood sergeant, beat officers, including PCSOs, remain the same just with a different lead.

"It is only the supervisory structure that has merged. Officers will still be based at Farnworth police station as before."