Concerns about changes to Bury police’s top brass have been raised by councillors.

A shake-up at Greater Manchester Police (GMP) means that Tim Forber, Bury’s chief superintendent, will move to a new post, and his role will be taken over by Rochdale police boss Annette Anderson, who will take charge of Bury and Rochdale from March 3.

Cllr David Jones, who represents Unsworth, asked at last week’s full council meeting whether “Bury’s voice at GMP’s top table has now been diluted at a time when we need to protect our resources?”

Council leader Mike Connolly responded: “We are advised by our colleagues in GMP that this is an interim position which will remain in place while a full review of the current structure of GMP is undertaken.

“We have sought assurances from GMP that they remain committed to a neighbourhood policing structure in Bury and that they will continue to provide repres-entation and input into Bury’s key strategic partnerships and priorities.”

Cllr Connolly paid tribute to the work of Chief Supt Forber, as well as Superintendent Mark Granby, who will also be leaving Bury.

He said: “Mr Forber made a huge impact in the short time he was here, and I would like to praise him for that. Mark Granby has done an enormous amount in terms of partnership work.”

Similar pairing arrangements are set to be introduced with Bolton and Wigan, Salford and Trafford, as well as Oldham and Tameside, and the changes will save GMP up to £250,000 a year.

Chief Supt Forber, who arrived at Bury in July, will work with three other divisional chief superintendents to devise a new forcewide policing structure.

The interim structure will be in place for a period of at least six months.

GMP Chief Constable Sir Peter Fahy previously said: “I am confident that the changes will not impact on the way we work with the council on reducing crime in Bury.”