FEARS have been raised that crime will rise in Harwich with fewer bobbies patrolling the streets of Harwich.

Harwich Town Council held a special meeting on Wednesday night to quiz Essex police and crime commissioner Nick Alston about funding cuts and changes to policing.

Mr Alston said last year crime figures across Tendring fell by 20 per cent, despite there being fewer officers than ever before.

But councillor Ivan Henderson hit back, claiming cutbacks would result in more crime.

He said: “Whatever you say about figures and crime going down, crime is going to go even higher because now there will be less people on the beat.

“It’s only because funds are being reduced, it’s not because people want less on the street.

“Most people know it’s down to reduction in funds.

“There’s occasions we’ve get no one in town and that will get worse because you say the numbers are going down.

“There’s lots of excuses when, in fact, the money is tight.”

Councillors also raised concerns about streetlighting and claimed speed traps were being used as cash cows.

Mr Henderson said: “It’s supported that areas of high value need to have lights on like banks and jewellers.

“All of our properties to us are of high value, and we would like to have the lights shining on them as well.

“I think that’s why the public think you’re not on our side – there were 10,000 who signed a petition to have the lights back on.”

But Mr Alston said that late-night streetlighting was not necessary as the vast majority of crimes were committed during the day, and claimed resources need to be shifted to areas where they were needed.

“I don’t think I’m making excuses, I have tried to be as crystal clear as possible,” he said.

“The funding is perilous, next year it will be really tight.”

“Crime is changing – fraud, serious sexual offending, online grooming – these are the things we should care about.

“Street crime has come down. If I had more resources, I wouldn’t put them into bobbies on the beat.

“How do we get the best bang for our buck? We need to use the most modern technology possible.

“We need to understand what has an impact on crime and what can stop it.”