ESSEX Police’s Crime Commissioner has promised to review the 200 Essex PCSOs’ jobs which were facing the axe because of austerity cuts.
In his Autumn Statement Chancellor George Osborne ruled out plans to further cut the police budget, telling MPs “now was not the time” for police cuts.
Faced with the need to slash a further £63million from its budgets, Essex Police announced plans last month to get rid of all but 60 of its 250 PCSOs, as well as making about 60 civilian counter staff redundant.
In the light of the Chancellor’s pledge, Nick Alston promised the job loss plans would now be reviewed.
He said: “Iam aware many people will be asking whether the current proposals to reduce the number of PCSOs will be reversed. The Chief Constable and I will take time for reflection before taking any decisions.
“It is essential we continue to invest to ensure Essex Police is fit to meet current and future challenges.
“I have said many times some of the changes we are proposing we would be making, regardless of the financial context.”
Mr Alston said budgets for managing the force’s buildings were “haemorrhaging money”
and plans to cut the number of buildings down to 30 still had merit.
Southend councillor Martin Terry, who has declared himself a candidate for Mr Alston’s job when the comissioner stands down next year, said: “I’m calling on Nick Alston to halt the redundancies, given that the Government is not making cuts.
“This would allow the new commissioner to rework the figures.”
Former Castle Point MP Dr Bob Spink, who is standing as Ukip’s candidate for crime commissioner, said: “I’m delighted the Government has finally listened to people like me and withdrawn its massive future police cuts.
“However, the police are still implementing the massive previous Tory cuts, so we’ll still see police officers cut, most stations closed and no streetlights at night.”
Tory county councillor Roger Hirst has also declared his candidature
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