Northampton housewife launches petition after councils withdraw PCSO funds
A HOUSEWIFE from Northampton is calling for residents in the town to work together in a campaign to save their PCSOs.
Northampton North MP Michael Ellis has backed Kingsthorpe resident Judy Whitmore’s plan to present a town-wide petition calling for Northampton Borough Council, Northamptonshire County Council, and the Police Authority to fund the PCSOs.
Mrs Whitmore, of Kingsland Avenue, suggested the authorities could split the cost of funding.
She said: “With the streetlights off and cutting back on the CCTV, if we lose our PCSOs it’s just going to be so dangerous. It’s not safe going out at night as it is.
“Crime is just going to increase. We really need to make sure that we get to keep them.”
Mrs Whitmore, aged 43, hopes residents’ associations, groups and shops across the town will help to petition their areas.
She added: “We’re talking about protecting people’s lives and people’s jobs.”
Plans by Northampton Borough Council and Northamptonshire County Council to cut £100,000 and £500,000 that the authorities spend respectively on PCSOs have met with outrage from residents.
Michael Ellis has already vowed to fight to save the PCSOs and last week joined a PCSO in Kingsley for a few hours.
He said: “I’ve said quite clearly that it’s what the people would want the money to be spent on. I would support any petition and I commend Mrs Whitmore’s efforts to get together support.”
Mr Ellis also urged people to write to their ward councillors.
Secretary for the Northampton Police Unison branch, Peter Lake, encouraged the public to get involved.
He said: “The important thing is the fact PCSOs provide such a good service to the public and we feel they are one of the main reasons why our public confidence rate has absolutely soared over the past few years.
“The community will lose people who they have come to trust.”
Mrs Whitmore can be contacted at judyawhitmore@googlemail.com
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Comments
There are 32 comments to this article
Page 1 of 3
Pam Varnsverry
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 08:58 PMI am somewhat bemused by the comments of MIcheal Ellis MP he appears to be at odds with his colleagues on both councils regarding funding for Pcso's. I have however taken his advise and written to my local ward councillor Mick Ford who along with the rest of his group on the Borough council voted to withdraw funding of £100,000. All this before the budget consultation closed to comments from the public and despite this never being raised at the local Far Cotton Residents Association meetings of which Councillor Ford is chairman. Scaremongering and being political was the response. Surely residents are entitled to scrutinise and seek answers to the decisions made on our behalf...
Loki
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 11:13 PMAs usual, Reginald Molehusband is quick to comment but short on facts. Most PCSOs are members of Unison and their union is fighting hard to help save their jobs. Any Police Officer will attest that the intelligence submitted by PCSOs leads to many arrests, but the main purpose of the PCSO role is to DETER crime. How would you measure that Mr. Molehusband? I suggest you might use the overall crime figures(which have dropped by over 40% since the introduction of PCSOs). Perhaps you should stick to pontificating on subjects that you know something about - You'll look a little less foolish ;-)
KayAlti
Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at 04:53 PMy dont councils cut bac on paperwork instead of lighting or go bac to gas lighting
Ginge
Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 06:44 PMIf petty criminals that the Police Community Support Officers help to catch are made to pay substantial fines, or in the case of minors the parents should be made to pay the fines. This money could be invested in funding the PCSO's. but, obviously the do-gooders of this society allow the petty criminals to walk free with a slap on the wrist. The PCSO's are a valuable asset, so i back Mrs. Whitmore 100% on her fight to save the PCSO's. If anyone else out there wants a safe environment then, give her all the support she needs. I would also suggest, that PCSO's are given further powers when dealing with criminals.
Pending Moderation
Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 08:50 AMPlans to reduce the number of PCSOs are idiotic - but what else should we expect from the master Harker and the puppet Monkeytosh.
cobblerwill
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 09:28 PMmeant to say street*
cobblerwill
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 09:27 PMPCSO officers do a great deal of community work and provide high visability on the streets. At the end of the day these men and women have families to support so what will laying them off achieve more families living on the breadline and higher unemployment figures the problem with councillors is that they are all in it for themselves and do not really care about the normal man in the stree
Bullet7178
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 06:08 PMI guess this was always going to be a hot potatoe. That said forget the title (PCSO) for a moment, and what we may be at risk of losing is less old style visability, I think they do a wonderful job, as for should we have them, thats a debate for another day, esp as Councils always seem to find funds for fact finding jollies, Well done that housewife for speaking out....
bouncer
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 05:19 PMIf the Police Authority - or NBC, come to that - have spare reserves tucked away, lets have a few more proper Police around-not these pseudo police persons. As for the street lighting, its not an issue for the majority of people.
TheCount
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 05:00 PMAdams RANT - Sorry if I misread that. I'm just annoyed at the way the councils waste so much of our hard earned money.
The Old Geezer
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 04:53 PMCan someone explain to me why we need PCSOs and Neighbourhood wardens. Surely there is a great deal of crossover on their rolls.
Finker
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 04:34 PMJez - the government makes the decisions it is allowed to, the Councils the ones it is allowed to - all set out legally. A bit of crossover but not as much as you suggest. Not sure quite how it applies here at the current time though as everything seems predominantly Conservative.
guvnorj360
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 03:56 PMReginald Molehusband Sadly you are so wrong in your asumption that Pcso's cannot be in a union. They are civilian officers so Peter Lake Secretary for the Northampton Police Unison branch does represent them. Facts....................................
.~* JEZ *~.
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 03:56 PM"For all you moan about Councils remember it is these members of the public, elected by the public, that are in charge and make the decisions.." - And there-in lies the problem. Do they make the decisions? If you have a Tory central govnmnt and a Labour local gvrnmnt, what decisions can they make. It all ends up as beaurocratic b*ll and holds back any progress!!
Finker
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 03:24 PMCount, think you need to reread post 15. For all you moan about Councils remember it is these members of the public, elected by the public, that are in charge and make the decisions. Maybe you should stand for election?
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