West Midlands PCSO cuts will 'affect safety'

As revealed in the Express & Star this week, the number of PCSOs in the West Midlands Police force will fall from 535 to 119, a reduction of 416 positions, as part of a plan to make £130m of savings by 2020. No announcement has yet been made on when the first round of cuts will take place.

Fiona Farmer, the union's national officer, said: "Cuts have consequences - there is no way a police force can make cuts of this magnitude without it impacting on public safety.

"This is a terrible blow for communities in the West Midlands who are being forced to bear the brunt of the government's reckless police budget cuts.

"West Midlands police has lost £126 million in government funding in the last 5 years and is expected to see further budget cuts of £130 million by 2020.

"What is being proposed to policing in the West Midlands is deeply concerning and should sound alarm bells.

"We condemn these Tory cuts in the strongest possible terms which will also place an unbearable burden on the remaining workforce who will be forced to pick up the pieces. The government needs to re-think its police budget cuts which are a serious risk to policing and ultimately community safety."

However Walsall councillor Doug James said that he thought WMP would 'rise to the challenge' and that PCSOs were a 'controversial addition' in the first place.

He said: "PCSOs were first introduced by the Police Act 2002 and to many have been a controversial addition to police services as initially there was confusion on their role. Local people had prioritised funding for police officers.

"With the reductions in PCSOs our police will refocus their neighbourhood police approach. Despite being hit harder than other police areas in England and Wales and, avoidable delays inpPolice funding from central government, I am convinced that our police will rise to the challenge.

"West Midlands Police plans for the future have been described as "outstanding" by the National Police Watchdog.

"The force's five year change programme WMP2020 is considered 'ambitious and far reaching' by HMIC inspectors. I will do all I can to support our local Police and Crime Commissioner, David Jamieson, who is committed to leading our police forward in these austere times".

Richard Burden, the MP for Birmingham Northfield, said he was 'very concerned' about the cuts.

He tweeted: "Very concerned at latest @WMPolice cuts announced. PCSOs are the visible face of neighbourhood policing in shopping centres and local communities."