Mp's police concerns

MP Greg Barker has expressed his concern at the Government's decision to "abandon" a manifesto pledge to recruit 24,000 Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) by March, 2008.Mr Barker says it means Sussex Police, who had been planning for 525 extra PCSOs by next March, will have a net loss of 171 as they will have to take a share of only 16,000 PCSOs nationally.

This comes as the police levy on Council Tax across Sussex has soared by over 123 per cent since 1997 to 116 with further hikes expected this April.

Mr Barker said: "People want to see a uniformed police presence on their streets to prevent crime and anti-social behaviour and to provide reassurance to their community.

"This broken promise will mean fewer Police Community Support Officers in Bexhill and Battle than previously planned, which is a serious loss at a time when violent crime is on the increase.

"There is already a feeling that towns such as Bexhill and rural areas such as Robertsbridge and Etchingham do not receive enough local policing when we are all facing ever higher council tax bills."

Mr Barker will hold a public meeting to raise local support for the new Sustainable Communities Private Members Bill in Battle, today (Friday).

The gathering will take place in Battle Memorial Hall at 6.30pm.

It will feature a panel of local community leaders, including Rother District councillors Robert White and Ian Jenkins, who will outline how the draft legislation could empower local communities to draw up and implement an action plan to prevent local economic and high street decline.

An expert from the Local Works organization will also be speaking on how parts of the bill can assist local councils and communities to set up local energy schemes.