Police and Crime Commissioner Nick Alston reveals latest police cuts

Police and Crime Commissioner Nick Alston is asking the average household to pay £5 extra next year for policing, through council tax, but this will only make up a fraction of the extra money the force has to find.

Today he has announced 160 of the county’s PCSOs, funded by the force, will lose their jobs.

In October the plan had been to cut 190 positions but extra funds have been found to allow 30 extra roles to remain.

The neighbourhood policing budget will be cut by £7million meaning less bobbies on the beat and work on the streets.

Plans, announced in October, to close 15 of the 25 front counters at police stations across the county have been confirmed.

The other ten will have opening hours slashed with most, from April, open from 9am to 5pm each day.

Along with the 160 PCSOs set to be made redundant 62 front counter staff will lose their jobs.

                    Nick Alston

The cuts are due to historic underfunding of Essex Police, considering the size of the population.

Costs have risen but Government grants have not and have been slashed in recent years, and maintained this year.

A Home Office error is believed to have cost the county’s force at least £10million.

There will be an increase in some areas of policing to cope with serious and growing problems.

More specialist officers will be tackling child exploitation, child abuse, serious sexual offences and domestic abuse, all major problems in Essex and elsewhere.

Extra resources will also be set aside to tackle cyber crime.

In 2015/16 the Essex Police budget was £262.5million.

In 2016/17 it will be £263.3million.

This is a rise of £800,000 however costs are expected to increase by £12.4million.

Mr Alston said: “It has been my firm and consistent view Essex Police is underfunded for the tasks we ask of it and by comparison with other forces.

“We have the lowest reserves in the country so we do not have the option of absorbing cost pressures by reducing our reserves.

“At the national level I will continue to make the case for a review of the funding formula.

“Changes proposed by the Home Office last year would have seen funding for Essex Police increase by more than £10million.

“Unfortunately, due to a technical error in the Home Office, the proposal had to be dropped.”

Speaking about the crime types which will get extra resources he said: “The changing nature of crime in our county requires increased investment to protect some of the most vulnerable people.

“There will be an increased investigative capacity to tackle these often horrific crimes, and greater support and safeguarding for victims."

Raising council tax by £4.95 a year for a band D property would raise £3.8million of the £12.4million the force is trying to find.

Mr Alston said: “I am conscious proposing an increase will add to the council tax bill all of us living in Essex will face from April.

“However, I believe it is essential we increase our commitment to protecting some of the most vulnerable people in our communities while preserving the strongest local policing teams possible.”

New, but smaller, community policing teams will be launched to try and maintain community links.

Mr Alston also praised the PCSOs and front counter staff who have acted with dignity and professionalism for months despite knowing their jobs were at risk.

He said: “There are many valued colleagues who will be sorely missed.”

The force still plans on building a new police headquarters and closing about 50 of its remaining 80 buildings, including several police stations.

It is hoped technology and other methods of communication will keep officers in touch with residents and victims.

Mr Alston will present his plans to the police and crime panel, which includes a representative from each district council in Essex, on January 29.

The cost pressures include:

• £1.7million in inflation
• £7.2million in increased national insurance contributions and pay for officers and staff
• £2.4million “to service existing obligations”
• £1.1million extra in insurance.

---------

ESSEX Police’s top cop has admitted the force needs more money to do to the job properly.

Chief Constable Stephen Kavanagh, responding to the budget announcement, said: “The historic underfunding of Essex Police continues to undermine my ability to deliver the consistency of policing to people I, and they, expect.

“I have made this case to the PCC and welcome his willingness to seek a further increase in the policing precept.

“An increase of around 10p per week would keep more PCSOs within the force, tackle changing crime in the county and is the best way of protecting and serving the people of Essex.

“Keeping Essex safe costs just 40p per person per day, making Essex Police the cheapest force in the country.

“We need to invest in tackling evil crimes like domestic abuse and child sexual exploitation.

“We need to make sure officers are trained in digital crimes like online fraud, which is growing and causing serious damage.”

Mr Kavanagh admitted this means “difficult choices” in other areas of policing.

As well as the 90 PSCO posts funded by the force there will be nine extras funded by parish councils and other organisations.

20 officers will be trained to investigate digital crime including online fraud.