District Councillors in the Rochford area, have been left scratching their heads and are struggling to contain residents fears over the increasing antisocial behaviour and rising crime. Advising residents to call 101 and ‘doitonline’ is doing little to appease the residents that witnessing the increasing crime in the area.
Sadly the result of Conservatives cuts to the police force is now biting hard.
Last year the Lib Dems released this press release –
Police in Essex facing £3.14m real-terms cut despite Govt smoke and mirrors – Lib Dems
Police in Essex are facing a real-terms cut of £3.14m next year, the Liberal Democrats have revealed.
Today the government announced that core funding for police budgets will remain exactly the same as last year.
Taking into account inflation, that means Essex will fall a real-terms cut of £3.14m.
The additional £270m of funding the government claims to be investing in the police nationally depends entirely on local Police and Crime Commissioners raising the police precept in their areas, which the Liberal Democrats have branded a “stealth council tax rise.”
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson commented:
“The Conservatives are ignoring calls from senior officers to increase investment in our police.
“The impact of this cut in police budgets will be felt in our communities and in our streets.
“With crime rising, the government should have increased police budgets in real terms.
“Even the Conservatives’ attempt at a stealth council tax rise won’t be enough to protect local police forces.
“I’m genuinely shocked that Ministers are ignoring the alarming rise in serious crime with this short-sighted decision.”
A reminder that ‘cuts have consequences’
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9cZXurCIXM[/embedyt]