And contrary to popular opinion police officers are getting older, not younger.The drop in the number of policemen and women comes as chief constables are predicting a further decline following the Home Office's new funding formula. The study also shows how the level of police cover fluctuates greatly throughout the country. London has the highest concentration of officers, with one for every 271 residents, while Cambridgeshire has the lowest with one for every 563 citizens. Other findings include that the police will spend £25m on stationery and printing this year, and a similar amount on uniforms and laundry. However, there has been uneasiness within the industry about the programme, not least because ITV seeks to sell itself as a mainstream provider of popular quality programmes.

It has seemed to be part of the new genre of people-based "infotainment" programming.Paul McKenna became a household name and overnight sensation with his first ITV series a year ago, made by the London weekday franchise-holder, Carlton It was originally broadcast at 8.30pm. The second series, this autumn, was broadcast at 7pm to attract children and picked up 9 million viewers.. The number of uniformed police officers fell this year despite the Home Secretary's repeated assurances that there are now more bobbies on the beat, according to a survey published today. ITV has commissioned a third series of The Hypnotic World of Paul McKenna and also plans to run a documentary about his techniques and the "science of hypnosis" in March. Stuart Prebble, controller of factual programmes at the ITV Network Centre, said yesterday it was a "sensible documentary, looking at the part hypnosis has played in areas such as pain control", but was not intended to answer criticism., since it had been commissioned before the alarm about potential dangers.He said the television programmes had always stayed within strict guidelines, while criticism centred on hypnosis in stage shows.

The public outcry over the dangers of hypnosis does not seem to be deflecting commercial television from a successful new format. By the time the appeal is heard, the man might be hopelessly in debt and it might be irretrievable He might have had his house repossessed.". Lord Archer of Sandwell, chairman of the council, said the length of time it took for cases to be heard was due to delays within the CSA itself. Almost half the 649 appeals which have been heard since the agency began work in April 1993 have found that the CSA was mistaken in its assessment and have reduced the payments.Lord Archer, a QC and former Labour MP, speaking at a press conference in London to release the council's annual report, said: "If the CSA makes a mistake and somebody is over-assessed, he will have to continue to pay week after week."It might not seem a large sum of money to the people who decided the amount, but it adds up. The Council on Tribunals said the length of delays, which has steadily worsened, potentially cost men their homes because they had to keep paying maintenance pending the hearing. Fathers appealing against awards made by the Child Support agency are having to wait an average of six months for a hearing, the watchdog body for tribunals complained yesterday.

But, because the increase only restores us to the position of two years ago, the council has had to take a firm strategic view overall, rather than distribute the money evenly."Announcing a £100,000 increase for the Royal Ballet, part again earmarked for a resident choreographer, Mis s Allen said: "The Royal Ballet now is one of the best ballet companies we have ever had They are doing magnificently.''. The council says it is unhappy with its current artistic level, even though the company has proved hugely popular with audiences.Adrian Noble, artistic director of the Royal Shakespeare Company, said that it was delighted with the increase and would now be taking productions to regions where they did not normally tour.Lord Gowrie, chairman of the council, said yesterday: "The welcome £5.1m increase in our grant-in-aid has enabled the Arts Council to give increases to organisations in a critical position. But the council said that this money was tied to the company presenting modern work with some new commissions, and, most significantly, reducing ticket prices for thesenewer works.The Arts Council also set up a pool of £450,000 for regional orchestras, some of which are perilously short of funds. At the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the renowned conductor, Simon Rattle, had threatened to resign if funding was not increased.Among the lesser-known organisations, the council is giving £437,000 to Iniva, a visual arts organisation for black and Asian art, which Miss Allen said had made great waves within the ethnic communities, even though it was not well known outside.The biggest loser in the annual grants round was the contemporary dance company, The Kosh, which lost all of its £150,000 grant.

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