Crime chief quizzed on PCSO vacancies
TWO Macclesfield councillors challenged Cheshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner over claims all 122 of the county’s policing communities had dedicated PCSOs.
John Dwyer was giving an update on policing to Cheshire East Council’s scrutiny committee on Thursday and said each beat had a PCSO and PC on top of the general 24-hour response team.
But Broken Cross and Upton councillor Rob Vernon (Lab) challenged this.
He said: “Until last year, we had a dedicated PCSO for my council ward. He was visible, recognisable, kids knew who he was.
“He was a friendly positive face for Cheshire Police and the community. He responded to residents, was responsive to myself, active on social media, aware of local issues.
“Last year he moved on, and, as far as I’m aware, was never replaced. There is no dedicated PCSO for Broken cross and Upton. That community engagement has gone.”
The Labour councillor said the police website still listed him as the Broken Cross PCSO when ‘he’s not been in the job 10 months’ and asked when Broken Cross would get a new PCSO.
Mr Dwyer asked Coun Vernon if he had raised the matter with his office and when he said no he asked him why not.
The police boss said he
would look into the matter but added: “It’s no good coming to a meeting like this and suddenly producing a piece of information which, frankly, ought to have been addressed sooner.”
Hurdsfield councillor Steve Carter then said there hadn’t been a PCSO in his Hurdsfield ward since January - and he had contacted the police commissioner’s officer on January
13 about it.
He said he received a prompt reply the next day and then, on January 20, Mr Dwyer’s office contacted him to say it was an operational matter but they would push it forward.
Coun Carter said: “It’s now September 1 and I still haven’t gotten a PCSO, so I have gone through the right process.”
He added he was
delighted by the dedicated police constable at Hurdsfield but said she had contacted him twice and said she needed a PCSO.
Mr Dwyer said he was concerned by this.
“I was only told three days ago that all our PCSO 122 roles were filled, but you’re telling me it isn’t true,” he said.
The commissioner’s chief executive Damon
Taylor said he had just checked the latest information and added: “We’ve had a particular issue in Macclesfield recruiting PCSOs and there is a couple of vacancies.
“Across the whole force my understanding is on that 122 model there is nine vacancies in total.”
He added a new PCSO was due to start in one of the Macclesfield wards on September 3.