Wednesday 22 November 2017 – for immediate use
UNISON welcomes Martham Parish Council’s support for keeping PCSOs in Norfolk
Commenting on Martham Parish Council’s opposition to the proposed removal of police community support officers (PCSOs) from Norfolk, Chris Jenkinson, UNISON regional secretary said,
“The concerns of parish councillors in Martham over the disappearance of visible policing are shared by communities across Norfolk.
“PCSOs play a vital role maintaining police and community relations as well as tackling low-level crime and anti-social behaviour.
“Police and crime commissioner Lorne Green should be making it clear to the Conservative government that community policing is key to maintaining public confidence in the police service and that their cuts to police funding are a serious threat to public safety.”
Notes for editors
The resolution made by Martham Parish Council on 15 November 2017:
Martham Parish Council notes the decision taken by the Chief Constable of Norfolk, Simon Bailey to reduce Police Community Support Officers to zero, to reduce the overall number of frontline and back office staff is a direct result of the cuts in the Home Office grant to the force, despite annual increases to the police precept.
Martham Parish Council notes the abolition of PCSOs will see our village lose a valuable police support officer. PCSO Paul Edwards, who after the retirement of PC Cook, remained the visible albeit diminished police presence.
Martham Parish Council calls upon Lorne Green, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Norfolk, whose role it is to be a democratic voice of local people, to intervene, challenge the Home Office over cuts in funding and insist that Norfolk Constabulary receives sufficient funding to maintain frontline policing numbers, including PCSOs in order to retain visible policing in our community.
Martham Parish Council resolves to write to Lorne Green, raising our concerns about the lack of funding and the detrimental cuts to community policing, request that he intervene to prevent the cuts and invite him to the next parish council meeting to explain his position.