Cllr Mary Woodward expresses concern over cuts in new community police officers in Bolton

Mary Woodward, Councillor for Little Lever and Darcy Lever this week expressed concern at Government’s decision to abandon a manifesto pledge to recruit 24,000 Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) by March 2008. 

This means that in Greater Manchester, where the police had been planning for 1238 PCSOs by March 2008, there will now only be 828. The cuts in funding mean that the Government has broken its manifesto pledge at the last election to “take CSO numbers up to 24,000”.  

This comes as the police levy on council tax across Greater Manchester, including Bolton has soared by 106% since 1997, with further hikes expected this April. The Government has also recently shelved the planned nationwide roll-out of the ‘non-emergency’ version of 999, which would have allowed people to report low-level crimes, vandalism and anti-social behaviour to police and local councils via one simple telephone number.

Mary commented “People want to see a uniformed 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 Bolton than originally planned, which is a serious loss."

Adding she said “There is already a feeling that Bolton doesn’t receive enough local policing.  People will ask why they are paying ever higher council tax bills – including a soaring police levy on council tax - when they don’t get the services in return.”