POLICE COMMUNITY SUPPORT OFFICER BUDGET IN SOMERSET

Early day motion 2137, tabled 22 October 2009 by Jeremy Browne (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 15 members.

That this House deplores the proposal by Conservative-controlled Somerset County Council to cut £129,000 from the budget for police community support officers from 1 April 2010; believes that the democratic process was not enhanced by the decision of the Conservatives to keep this policy secret in advance of the Somerset County Council elections in June 2009; further believes that there is considerable concern across Somerset about crime and anti-social behaviour; applauds the work of police community support officers; notes the success of neighbourhood policing at tackling crime and reassuring the public; and supports the Somerset Liberal Democrat campaign to prevent Conservative-controlled Somerset County Council cutting more than a quarter of the funding from the Police Community Support Officer budget next year.

Signatures by party: Liberal Democrat 8, Labour 6, Independent 1.