Police chief makes neighbourhood police pledge despite PCSO numbers being halved in cost-cutting drive

Nick Dean said he was “disappointed” to see the number of PCSOs reduce from 80 to 40 to help tackle a deficit of £6.6 million and that the cuts will “have an impact on policing”.

But he insisted the job losses will be mitigated by a rise in officers as part of the Government’s national allocation of 20,000 more roles which could see a further 82 people brought into the force next year.

The chief constable said: “The bedrock and foundation of policing is built from the community upwards.

“This is not a decision I’ve taken lightly or I sit here feeling really comfortable with, but the overriding issue is I have to bridge the force’s financial deficit.

“I can’t deny it’s going to have an impact on policing across the county, but what I will say is since 2017 we have invested, in particular over the last couple of years, on police officers in the neighbourhood team.

“It is going to have an impact but I have to meet the financial line. I’m disappointed but it’s been done out of necessity.”

Mr Dean said police numbers in Cambridgeshire are the highest they’ve ever been at just shy of 1,560 officers, while the number of officers across neighbourhood policing teams is increasing from 57 in April 2018 to an anticipated 132 in April 2021 due to a combination of savings and a rise in council tax.

The latest PC recruits are being hired through ring-fenced government funding, while the current deficit is linked to issues including rising operation demand, staff pay rises and pension deficits.

The impact of Covid-19 has not affected the budget pressures Mr Dean said, but he acknowledged the forecast deficit for 2021/22 anticipates yet another rise in the police council tax precept, this time of two per cent, although the final decision will be made by police and crime commissioner Ray Bisby.

The decision to halve the number of PCSOs - who will now cover all 28 neighbourhoods in the county - was one of several changes announced by Cambridgeshire police on Wednesday.

It also revealed that it was scrapping its community safety team, resulting in a loss of six community safety officers, while nine enquiry offices - including ones in March, Wisbech and Huntingdon - will be closed.

Instead, residents will have to make an appointment to speak to an officer which will lead to six more job losses, although the office at Thorpe Wood Police Station in Peterborough will continue to provide seven day a week provision from 8am to 8pm.

The revamp will also result in a “remodelling of the citizens in policing team” which will include the removal of the vacant head of citizens in policing and special constabulary post, while both the north and south of the county will see the development of Area Command Cells and Neighbourhood Support Teams through a reorganisation of existing resources.

Mr Dean said the command cells will focus on intelligence while the support teams will work with communities on issues ranging from serious organised crime to community issues.

Moreover, Continuous Professional Development Units (CPDUs) will support officers with “ongoing operational competence and training” with the introduction of PEQF (Policing Education Qualifications Framework) as an entry route into policing.
The proposals, which were due to be announced in April but were delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic, will save the force £1.7 million a year, although a budget gap of £1.8 million remains.

Mr Dean insisted that no police stations will close and that many of those which will lose their enquiry offices have been operating a reduced service due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The proposals have received a mixed response, with eastern regional organiser for union UNISON Jeff Keighley saying: “It’s no good recruiting more police officers only to have to slash the numbers of staff doing vital work for the force in support of officers on the beat.”

MP for North West Cambridgeshire Shailesh Vara also highlighted his concerns, stating: “Neighbourhood policing plays a very critical role in our communities so this is disappointing news.

“I will be taking this up with the chief constable when I next see him to see if there are any other areas where savings can be made, especially in terms of sharing backroom resources with neighbouring police forces.”

However, MP for Peterborough Paul Bristow said: “There are 75 extra officers in our neighbourhoods and another 82 are being recruited. That’s 157 extra PCs. 

“Yet somehow the police have made this a story about 40 fewer PCSOs who don’t have a warrant or half the training. Having more proper PCs instead is an unashamedly good thing. “Cambridgeshire police is getting larger, not smaller, as part of the Government’s drive to recruit 20,000 new officers across the country. 

“I’m sure there will be concerns about enquiry desks closing, but these aren’t in my Peterborough constituency. Overall, the changes are positive and sensible.”

The initial period of staff consultation has started today (Wednesday) and will last until November 20.