Should Fakenham Town Council pay towards policing?
Councils are being asked to pay towards the cost of community officers. - Credit: Archant © 2007
Councillors are set to discuss a “match-funding” scheme to pay for community officers.
Norfolk’s chief constable Simon Bailey has announced that 350 posts, including 120 police officers and 120 police community support officers (PCSOs), will be cut over the next four years as part of a bid to help meet a £20.3m funding gap.
Mr Bailey has previously indicated that with PCSO numbers set to almost halve by 2018 he would be looking to the wider community, including parish councils, to help part-fund the community officers in future.
The force has now written to parish councils in the county to introduce them to a 50/50 match funded PCSO scheme.
Fakenham Town Council will be discussing the letter on Tuesday.
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Mayor Jeremy Punchard said: “It’s a document which has gone out to all parish councils. If you put in some of the money for a PA they will guarantee a portion of time for any activitiy that you deem important.”
A similar scheme has operated in Suffolk for the past seven years.
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The town council meets at Fakenham Connect, in Oak Street on Tuesday (6.30pm).
