logo
Essex Police PCSO cuts left staff in 'disbelief'

Essex Police PCSO cuts left staff in 'disbelief'

BBC News29-01-2025

Police officers have been left in "complete disbelief" at plans to make all 99 of its police community support officers (PCSOs) redundant, a representative warned.Essex Police revealed on Tuesday it also wanted to cut 65 staff roles amid a £5.3m budget shortfall.Laura Heggie, chairwoman of the force's federation, said watching staff being told their jobs were at risk was "one of the hardest things I've witnessed in my career".It followed Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Roger Hirst telling BBC Essex redundancies were "the least worst option".
"Our reaction across the board is a complete disbelief at what's potentially going to happen and the impact that's going to have," Ms Heggie said."If we lose our PCSOs we cannot continue to provide the service we are at the moment, there's no doubt about it."There is disbelief, sympathy for our colleagues and there's anger."
PCSOs are paid employees but do not have powers of arrest unless accompanied by a constable.The proposed redundancies are subject to consultation.Ms Heggie added: "You can't underestimate the value they bring, they are an instrumental part of community policing. They are our eyes and ears."Essex Police employs about 3,755 officers and said salaries accounted for 81% of its yearly expenditure.Hirst, who was elected on a Conservative ticket, told BBC Essex he would consider taking a pay cut during the catalogue of cost-saving measures."The frustration is we have been in a position for the last few years to reduce crime across Essex," he said."It almost feels like we're being penalised here in Essex for being so successful."
Hirst said the impact of losing "brilliant" PCSOs and staff was going to be "tangible".He added: "We've shown Essex Police has the tactics, the ability, the capability to reduce crime across the county, we just need to have the right resources."In a statement on Tuesday, Essex Police said "inadequate" funding from the government was to blame for its challenging financial situation.However, a Home Office spokesman said an extra 13,000 neighbourhood police officers, community support officers and special constables were being funded as part of a "visible policing drive".
'Political game playing'
Reacting to the announcement, Conservative MP for Braintree and former Home Secretary James Cleverly said Labour had got its "maths badly wrong".He said Essex Police had been "squeezing and squeezing and squeezing" financially, adding: "But now they've gone as far as they can go because of Labour's financial mismanagement."However, Labour MP for Thurrock Jen Craft accused Cleverly of "political game playing"."We've had 14 years of chronic underfunding on all of our public services, not just police," she said."This year we've had a funding increase for police forces, including Essex."
Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Does David Bull know why people vote Reform?
Does David Bull know why people vote Reform?

Spectator

time27 minutes ago

  • Spectator

Does David Bull know why people vote Reform?

In a week of high drama, in which Reform lost its chairman and then saw him return 48 hours later, the party could have hoped for a quiet news day. Slim chance of that. After Zia Yusuf returned as party chairman, Reform held a press conference to announce that Yusuf would head the party's DOGE unit to uncover waste at councils – and would be replaced as chairman by Dr David Bull. A former Conservative, Bull is better known than his predecessor was when taking the role, having formerly presented Newsround and Most Haunted, becoming an MEP for the Brexit party in 2019 and the co-host of the TalkTV weekend breakfast show in 2022. As James Heale notes, he is also popular with members, being both 'a gregarious character and a longtime Farage loyalist.' A key part of Bull's role will be in handling the media; but his first steps in the new role, it appears he has already stumbled, stating that 'immigration is the lifeblood of this country, it always has been'.

MPs call for UK to recognise Palestine after Government sanctions ministers
MPs call for UK to recognise Palestine after Government sanctions ministers

South Wales Guardian

time34 minutes ago

  • South Wales Guardian

MPs call for UK to recognise Palestine after Government sanctions ministers

Foreign minister Hamish Falconer faced repeated cross-party calls from MPs to recognise Palestine at the meeting in New York. In response, Mr Falconer did not rule out the move, saying he had 'no doubt' he would return to the Commons to update MPs. It came as the UK imposed an asset freeze and travel ban on Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, Israel's security minister and finance minister, respectively. The move came alongside Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway. When asked about the recognition of Palestine by Liberal Democrat foreign spokesperson Calum Miller, Mr Falconer said: 'The two-state solution conference next week is an important moment we're discussing with our friends and allies our approach to that conference and no-doubt I will return to this house, with your permission Mr Speaker, to discuss further.' Mr Miller had said: 'The time has also come to listen to members on all sides of this House and officially to recognise the independent state of Palestine. Will the Government commit to taking this vital step at next week's summit in New York? 'Recognition will demonstrate the UK's commitment to self-determination but also make clear that, building on today's announcement, the UK will do all it can to wrest control away from the extremes and give both Israelis and Palestinians hope of a lasting peace.' Conservative MP for Herne Bay and Sandwich, Sir Roger Gale, had chastised the Government for not taking more action. He said: 'When the minister came to the despatch box, I had expected to hear something constructive. What we've heard is the sanctioning of two people. The United Kingdom Government could unilaterally recognise Palestine. The United Kingdom Government could show the world and lead.' He added: 'When is the Government going to do something?' Labour MP Abtisam Mohamed (Sheffield Central), who was denied access to the occupied West Bank earlier this year, agreed with the calls. She said: 'Annexation is real. It is happening. Partners in the region are calling for recognition before it's too late.' Ms Mohamed continued: 'Does the minister agree with me that we must not throw recognition into the long grass? That failure to recognise next week at the UN conference implies that Israel does have a veto, and that the Israeli government will continue to annexe and terrorise Palestinians in the West Bank. If we do not recognise now, there will be no Palestinian state to recognise.' Mr Falconer said: 'Recognition is right at the centre of any discussion of a two-state solution.' The minister had earlier told MPs the two-state solution between Israel and Palestine was in critical danger. He said the rhetoric of Mr Ben-Gvir and Mr Smotrich did not represent the majority of Israelis. He said: 'This is an affront to the rights of Palestinians, but it is also against the interests of Israelis, against their long-term security and democracy.' Mr Falconer said settler expansion had increased hugely in recent years, and last year had seen the worst settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank on record. He added that this year is on track to be just as violent. 'This is an attempt to entrench a one-state reality,' he told MPs. He continued: 'The gravity of this situation demands further action. The reality is that these human rights abuses, incitement to violence, extremist rhetoric comes … from individuals who are ministers in this Israeli government.' Mr Falconer added: 'We have told the Israeli government that we would take tougher action if this did not stop. It still did not. The appalling rhetoric has continued unchanged. Violent perpetrators continue to act with impunity and with encouragement. 'So, let me tell the House now, when we say something, we mean it. Today we have shown, with our partners, two extremists we will not stand by while they wreck the prospects for future peace.' Shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel said: 'The situation in the Middle East and the suffering we are seeing is serious and completely intolerable. Dame Priti added: 'We all want to see a better future for the Israeli and Palestinian people, and the UK must continue to play a leading role in achieving this.' She told MPs the previous Conservative government considered sanctioning the two ministers. 'The minister will be aware that the sanctioning of individuals is always under review, that is the right policy,' she said. 'And in the case of Israel, this has been previously considered even by Lord Cameron, who has spoken of that in the last government.'

Planning reforms ‘critical' to 1.5m homes pledge delivery clear Commons
Planning reforms ‘critical' to 1.5m homes pledge delivery clear Commons

North Wales Chronicle

time43 minutes ago

  • North Wales Chronicle

Planning reforms ‘critical' to 1.5m homes pledge delivery clear Commons

MPs voted by 306 to 174, majority 132, to approve the Planning and Infrastructure Bill at third reading on Tuesday evening. Housing minister Matthew Pennycook said the Bill, which aims to improve certainty and decision-making in the planning system, will help to tackle the UK's housing crisis. Meanwhile, shadow housing secretary Kevin Hollinrake described the draft legislation as 'dangerous' and warned it could lead to 'rows of uninspiring concrete boxes'. Speaking in the Commons, Mr Pennycook said: 'This landmark Bill will get Britain building again, unleash economic growth and deliver on the promise of national renewal. 'It is critical in helping the Government achieving its ambitious plan for change milestone of building 1.5 million safe and decent homes in England in this Parliament. 'When it comes to delivering new homes and critical infrastructure, the status quo is patently failing the country and failing the British people. 'We can and we must do things differently, this Bill will enable us to do so. It is transformative. It will fundamentally change how we build things in this country, and in doing so it will help us tackle the housing crisis and raise living standards in every part of the country.' Mr Hollinrake argued it is not possible to 'concrete our way to community', adding: 'This Bill, in its current form, is not just flawed, it is dangerous. It risks eroding trust in the planning system and widening the gulf between government and the governed. 'We need homes for first-time buyers, for young families, for key workers, for the next generation. But we need the right homes in the right places, shaped by the right principles. 'What are we being offered instead is a top-down model driven by arbitrary targets and central dictats. The result: solar settlements, identikit developments, rows of uninspiring concrete boxes that bear no relation to the history, the heritage or the hopes of the communities they are building.' This comes after Labour MPs rebelled on Monday over the Government's plans to change current nature protections in the planning system. Campaigners have raised concerns the Bill will allow developers to effectively disregard environmental rules and community concerns, increasing the risk of sewage in rivers, flooding and loss of valued woods and parks. Mr Pennycook said the 'suboptimal status quo' for the environment and development is not working, as he pledged to introduce a nature restoration fund to bolster conservation efforts. He added: 'We want to take forward a new strategic approach across wider geographies, ensuring that Natural England bring forward plans that go beyond offsetting harm to driving nature recovery as well as unlocking development.' During the Bill's report stage on Tuesday, Conservative former minister Robbie Moore accused the Government of permitting 'absolute theft' in its compulsory purchase order (CPO) reforms. The Bill will allow an inspector or, where there are no objectors, authorities to remove 'hope value' from land when a CPO is made, meaning any uplift calculated on the basis that a developer could be given planning permission in future is ignored. The MP for Keighley and Ilkley said: 'So-called 'hope value' is not a capitalist trick, it is not a racket, it is not unfair, it is simply the true market value of the property. 'Property rights matter. They are the foundation of our society. 'If the state chooses to use its powers to confiscate property of a law-abiding person and then they must stipulate on how that land must be used, and then tell the landowner how much they are entitled to receive from the state, that is wrong and in my view is an absolute theft of private property.' Labour MP Chris Hinchliff urged the Government to go further, calling for it to remove 'hope value' for any land or property which is being compulsory-purchased for the purpose of delivering housing targets. The North East Hertfordshire MP said his amendment 68 would 'give councils the land assembly powers necessary to acquire sites to meet local housing need at current use value, and so do away with speculative hope value prices, which put taxpayers' money into wealthy landowners pockets'. 'This would finally make it affordable for local authorities to deliver the new generation of council homes. That is the true solution to this nation's housing crisis,' he added. The Government has previously said it will ensure that compensation paid to landowners through the CPO process is 'fair but not excessive' and that development corporations can operate effectively. The Bill will now be sent to the House of Lords for further scrutiny.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store