GMP is to go 'back to basics' in the biggest change to the police in Greater Manchester 'in a generation', it was announced this week.

The force is adding more than 260 police constables to its neighbourhood teams across the region, but removing more than 300 police community support officers (PCSOs) in the process.

What is left in each of the three neighbourhood teams in Bolton will be one inspector, three police sergeants and around a dozen police constables. There will be 20 PCSOs, one per ward.

It means most of those in the the teams are to be warranted officers, with powers to arrest, stop and search, interview and investigate.

The Bolton News:

But the biggest change is those in the teams are to be ringfenced, or in other words cannot be taken out of their area to cover other responsibilities.

It comes after a public consultation received responses from more than 8,000 people, of whom more than half said the police are 'poor' in their area.

At a press conference in Old Trafford on Monday, Andy Burnham said: "This is the most significant change to policing in Greater Manchester in a generation.

"I am aware we have asked our residents to contribute more to support GMP and I am glad we are now in a position to give them a return on their investment.

"A dedicated, guaranteed team in every single community with an increase in the number of warranted officers.

"I have said I want to see proactive, accountable policing in every single community in Greater Manchester. 

"With an outstanding leader in Stephen Watson, and this new neighbourhood policing structure, that is what GMP is set up to deliver and I am confident that they will."

At the heart of the idea is accessibility and accountability, which GMP aims to achieve by allowing residents to contact their neighbourhood teams through a 'Bee in the Loop' system launched this week or a 'Your Area' section of its website.

The neighbourhood teams are to be backed up by the Neighbourhood Crime Teams, which will lead on operations, and the Neighbourhood Prevention Hubs, which will address repeat offenders.

Chief Constable Stephen Watson said: "The people of Greater Manchester are at the heart of this new neighbourhood policing structure, which is reflective of us taking a back to basics approach.

He added: "As a result, the teams will have more time to spend in neighbourhoods and, benefitting from the continued support of partner agencies and of specialist teams, they will have more resources to fight crime and build resilient communities which can join with us to send a message that crime is not tolerated in any community and that GMP will do everything in its power to take criminals off our streets."

This article was written by Jack Tooth. To contact him, email jack.tooth@newsquest.co.uk or follow @JTRTooth on Twitter.