Commitment to be kept on PCSO's

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 20th Jun 2003

Police Community Support Officers (PCSO's) are proving a great success in Leeds City centre where they are being trialled using government funding. Today's (20th June) meeting of the Police Authority decided to press ahead with plans for 200 extra officers across the county.

Cllr David Morton (Headingley) Leeds Liberal Democrat member of the West Yorkshire Police Authority said "this years budget set aside funding for 50% of the costs of employing 200 of these officers with an application made to government to fund the rest. We have received the news that the government will fund only 100 posts."

"Today's debate was about what to do with the remaining money. One option was to employ a smaller number of PCSO's than originally planned but pay for them outright." said Cllr Morton. "A number of us successfully argued that we should still aim for the 200 figure but approach Councils and other public bodies to pay the remaining half of the costs. Any Councillor will tell you that crime and fear of crime is the top issue for many Leeds residents. I hope Leeds City Council will now respond positively to the Police request for a partnership and therefore we'll see more feet on the beat in Leeds."