The force recently blamed the need to cut costs for a decision to reduce officers from 3,280 to 3,131 by March next year - taking the number of police constables employed by the force to fewer than 2,000.

But Paul Blomfield, Labour's Parliamentary candidate for Sheffield Central, said South Yorkshire Police Authority figures show there was a budget surplus last year.

A briefing from the Police Authority revealed "the 2007/08 revenue budget showed an overall underspend of £11.3 million before adjustments to reserves and carry forwards".

Mr Blomfield said: "This is a massive and unexpected cash windfall. It's taxpayers money given to South Yorkshire and it should be spent on increasing policing.

"I am calling on the Police Authority to spend this money on frontline officers to make Sheffield safer."

The roles of 102 police constables, 24 detective constables, 15 police sergeants, one detective sergeant, six inspectors and two chief inspectors are to be axed.

The force claims most of the posts will be lost through retirement, ill health, transfers to other forces and resignations.

But it says moving police officers from backroom jobs and putting them back on the beat will mean only 40 front line jobs will actually go.

Mr Blomfield said overall levels of crime were falling and by putting more police out on the street, they could fall further.

Manor Castle councillor Pat Midgley added: "I know that if more police were out on the streets in my ward we could further reduce crime.

"Our local Safer Neighbourhood Team has delivered some great results and with this extra money they could do even more."

Nigel Hiller, South Yorkshire Police's Director of Finance and Administration, said: "The Government's efficiency and productivity strategy requires South Yorkshire Police to reduce expenditure by 9.3 per cent over three years.

"In the current year the force has to make approximately £7 million in efficiency savings, plus another £7 million in the subsequent two years.

"The force's district commanders and department heads are reviewing all areas of expenditure and are finding more efficient ways of working. This has seen a growth in the number of police staff and a reduction in police numbers as back office jobs are no longer performed by police officers.

"In the present year the strategy has enabled the force to make significant improvements in performance and around £11 million worth of savings.

"Much of these savings have been directed into capital expenditure such as replacing important pieces of equipment for operational police officers and investment in a new force training facility.

"The Police Authority last reviewed the budget strategy at a meeting on July 4 and proposed further discussions at the September meeting on how to meet the challenges set by the Home Office."

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