Cheshire to retain ten PCSO roles while 50 jobs may be lost

Ten PCSO roles will be retained while about 50 jobs may still be lost as Cheshire Police deals with a funding shortfall; a public consultation on the precept runs until 23 January.

Cheshire Police had planned to cut police community support officers (PCSOs) from 87 to 27, but the police and crime commissioner has announced that ten PCSO roles will now be kept. The force says it is facing a £3m shortfall from government funding and that savings will need to come from police staff rather than sworn officers. The chief constable described the reductions as financially driven rather than policy driven. The commissioner has written to government and opened a consultation on the precept that runs until 23 January. What is known: - Ten PCSO posts will be retained; the force had proposed reducing PCSOs from 87 to 27. - Around 50 police staff roles remain at risk as the force seeks savings. - Cheshire Police reports it will receive £3m less from government than expected and that local precept funding now makes up a larger share of its budget. - A public consultation on next year’s precept runs until 23 January, and the police and crime commissioner has written to government requesting flexibility. Summary: Local policing services could be affected if staff reductions go ahead, and force leaders say they are trying to manage the impact while balancing finances. The police and crime commissioner has pursued government flexibility and launched a precept consultation; further decisions will follow from those processes.