Police Community Support Officers in Warwickshire down by -24

Numbers Down

The number of Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) on the streets has fallen dramatically by 28% since 2015. 

Analysis of new Home Office statistics commissioned by the Liberal Democrats from the House of Commons Library has shown the drastic cuts to PCSOs in Warwickshire.

A total of 62 full-time equivalent PCSOs were employed in Warwickshire as of September 2022. This is in stark contrast to the 87 that were employed in March 2015 – meaning there have been 24 PCSOs cut from Warwickshire in that time. 

The Liberal Democrats have accused the Conservative Government of letting communities in Warwickshire down by taking Police Community Support Officers off the streets, leading to more crimes going unsolved and victims going without justice

The same trend is being seen up and down the country, with the number of active PCSOs falling by an average of 33% in England and Wales since 2015. Nationally, England and Wales have lost 4,068 PCSOs since 2015.

Cllr Jerry Roodhouse has slammed the Conservatives for this move, which means that less police officers are visible on the streets, building relationships – and trust – with local people. The party has called for a return to proper community policing.

Responding to the figures, Cllr Jerry Roodhouse, Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Warwickshire, said:

“These shocking figures prove that Conservative Ministers are yet again failing to prevent crime in Warwickshire. They should be ashamed.

“Police Community Support Officers play a vital role in keeping our communities safe. The Government should be empowering them to do their job, not slashing their numbers into oblivion.”

“Liberal Democrats are calling for a return to proper community policing, where officers are visible, trusted and known personally to local people. We will build communities where people are safe – and feel safe, too.”

ENDS 

Notes to Editors:

Source: Home Office, Police Workforce: England and Wales, Jan 2023, Table H7 (various editions) and Table 3. Strength figures include those staff on career breaks or maternity/paternity leav

Warwickshire Council Tax

That time of year again.

Liberal Democrat Warwickshire County Council Group release its amendment to the Conservatives administration budget proposals which will be debated 7th February at Shire Hall Warwick.

Housing Support for Older People tackling the crisis in the NHS allowing more residents to stay in there homes.

Cllr Jerry Roodhouse said in releasing their amendment that

“The Liberal Democrat group has used the following three principles of a Fairer Council, More Caring and a Greener Council. The Government has once again chosen to use Council Tax along with the Adult Social Care precept as a way of shifting responsibility away from itself onto local councils. The growing demands on our services – and in particular our growing older population as demonstrated by the recent census (2021 population and households) means that we are left with no real choice but to set the council tax to protect the vulnerable. We are proposing a 3.94% CT which we consider will protect services to the vulnerable and reduce the proposed cuts.

We are keeping Libraries open as warm hubs and saving children crossing patrols, we are stopping the proposed reduction in children centres along with not taking the saving on youth centres these are but a few of the areas that we do not want to see slashed even further we are investing more in outdoor education, and with the crisis in the NHS we have also manged to shift resources towards housing support for older people allowing people to stay in there own homes and supporting community transport initiatives. We will also be supporting each elected member with an increase in capital spending for highways work in their division”

Residents will also get hit seeing the Police tax going .

Our priorities are to make Warwickshire:

  • Fairer ­– giving opportunities for all
  • Caring – for all our residents
  • Greener – accelerating the work needed

Liberal Democrats will invest in:

  • The Forestry Team to meet the increase in demand and provide resilience to support emerging climate change initiatives, such as tree planting schemes.
  • Community transport – to support the introduction and development of school travel plans as part of activity to further strengthen the ECO schools pillar on transport across Warwickshire
  • The Outdoor Education and Learning Strategy, building the capacity to enable young people in Warwickshire to experience activities within the County
  • Increase Community development activity by supporting Councillors in their Divisions with the work of empowering local communities. 
  • Increasing the highways delegated funding, enabling local councillors to do more in their communities.

We will not take forward any cuts that we believe will have a detrimental impact on our communities and vulnerable people cross Warwickshire. We will not:

  • withdraw funding for the School Crossing Patrol Service
  • reduce or stop bus subsidies so Warwickshire has a mostly commercial network
  • take the benefit of increased income from use of our Youth and Community Centres, instead reinvesting the income in the service offer and facilities.
  • support a further redesign and reduction in the number of Children and Family centres.
  • rely on increased partner contributions to support critical domestic abuse and substance misuse detox activity
  • support the closure of libraries or reduction in their opening hours: these are vital places for residents and children.

Free School Meals

Liberal Democrat Warwickshire County Council Group are calling for greater entitlement of free scool meals.Cllr Jerry Roodhouse said that

Support the campaign to expand free school meals

“The Liberal Democrat group on Warwickshire County Council are calling for greater Free School Meal access. We are calling for WCC to bring forward proposals that aim to significantly increase the take-up of Free School Meals, including considering the option of automatic opt-in and how this can lawfully be done and that the Government funds local authorities accordingly”

Cllr Roodhouse went on to say,

“With the increased costs on families the Government can quickly ensure that children get a meal and also the school gets extra pupil premium into its budget, it is a no brainer which can be implemented now”

Government acces and information https://www.gov.uk/apply-free-school-meals

Liberal Democrat priorities are to make Warwickshire:

  • Fairer ­– giving opportunities for all
  • Caring – for all our residents
  • Greener – accelerating the work needed

Council Tax is Unfair

Liberal Democrats are proposing an amendment to the Tory budget at Shire Hall. They have reduced the unfair council tax that residents will have to pay. It still means that by 2027 that over £65 million pounds will come out of the organisation. The Government is failing to support local authorities and has only given 12 month settlement.

Cllr Jerry Roodhouse Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Warwickshire County Council said

Cllr Jerry Roodhouse

“The Liberal Democrats are presenting a balanced budget that reduces the burden on the taxpayer, increasing costs to individuals as highlighted by the Resolution Foundation will see families hit with at least £1,200 hit. Council Tax is unfair and should be scrapped and local government given the investment needed not 12-month handouts from the Government, clearly inflation, national insurance hikes and increasing costs wipe out the extra resources that are needed. Liberal Democrats have put together a set of proposals that invests more into fixing our broken pavements and introduce a Highway action fund for 20mph speed limits, adult social care and children services including tackling long covid . We are calling on the Tory administration to join with us and ensure that we see a Fairer, more Caring and Greener Warwickshire”

Warwickshire Liberal Democrats are investing more funds into Adult Social Care including the commissioning, Children & Families, customer support, specific projects include the following,

  • Investing £3 million capital monies into improving the worsening state of Warwickshire pavements targeted at delivering improvements to pavements and footways in Warwickshire.
  • Investing £0.400 million over the five years to deliver the Council’s Outdoor Education Strategy (https://democracy.warwickshire.gov.uk). The strategy is a key component of a “Child Friendly Warwickshire”; supporting young people in their development. We see this as part of the day to day business of the Council, especially after the administration closed Marle Hall.
  • Increase investment over the next five years to £0.500m in support for those with Dementia and Alzheimer’s and their carers. We recognise that Dementia and Alzheimer’s will be increasing as the demographics towards a larger older population. The investment will support the development and implementation of dementia-friendly communities alongside the developing ‘Living well with Dementia’ strategy providing carers support for adults and young carers.
  • Invest £0.250 million a year in early intervention and prevention; supporting families and children especially in the early years. If levelling up is to work it need this investment back into early years.
  • Invest £0.100 million to accelerate the work in communities around long covid as identified by the Director of Public Health in the Annual report 2020/21.
  • The creation of a Highways Action Fund to support the implementation of 20mph speed limits.
  • Increase Community Councillor grants from £6,000 to £8,000 in 2022/23 to help boost local communities after covid, with at least £2,000 being awarded towards supporting young people and youth activities.

Liberal Democrat Amendment link Revenue Lib Dem 8/02/22 Capital proposals Lib Dem 8/02/22

Leading The way

For the next generation we need a fairer, caring, greener Warwickshire the campaign continues.

Liberal Democrats at the County Council 14th December led the way on various items that were up for debate. The first item was a motion concerning drainage issues and working with Seven Trent, presented by Cllr Jerry Roodhouse,

He stated that “It is clear that we are seeing increasing weather patterns which includes heavy rainfall, our drainage systems are not working and with the planned growth of housing will lead to more problems” the Conservatives agreed but wanted a slight change of wording which was agreed and the full council supported it

More heat was generated with debate on trees which the Conservatives presented, Cllrs Jenny Fradgley and Kate Rolfe asked for the inclusion of the Soil Association, Forestry Commission along with the Woodland Trust be inserted and that all elected members are encouraged to support biodervisty and tree planting. They also said “that most of this work was underway including the preparation of a business case for a tree nursery along with a set of other activity that the cross party working group had agreed on”

Surprisingly the Conservatives would not accept this and rejected the calls. Cllr Jerry Roodhouse said “were they just playing politics?” which of course they denied video link to the debates and motions WCC Council Trees

The Liberal Democrat team will continue to campaign and challenge the Conservative administration at question time we asked about, ECO Schools and what action was being taken to do a survey that was agreed 15th December 2020 answer no action yet. Further questions about how fragile the care market is and nutritional meals for care residents we are very concerned about this. Cllr Bill Gifford asked about how we as a Council can support GPs ?

End Fuel Poverty

The End Fuel Poverty Coalition has published the latest index, http:http://www.endfuelpoverty.org.uk/english-fuel-poverty-index-2021

Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director at Age UK, said:

Councils play a hugely important role in the fight against cold homes. They work with landlords and housing providers to ensure that all rental properties in the area are let to a decent standard. By working with local health bodies and community groups, they can identify and support those most at risk from the negative impacts of fuel poverty.

Local authorities must have the resources needed to properly enforce energy efficiency regulations which keep older people and families safe. As we approach the winter, no one must go cold and unwell for fear of the cost of turning the heating on. Longer term, we need to see greater investment from the government in energy efficiency programmes, which will help lower bills, reduce anxiety for those in cold homes and protect people against any future surges in fuel costs.

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Increasing fuel and energy costs Nuneaton & Bedworth index 75% North Warwickshire 77% Rugby Borough 75% Stratford upon Avon District 72% Warwick District 71%. Clearly with extra pressures on finances any extra support will be needed Act on Energy has plenty of advice and support https://actonenergy.org.uk/

Act On Energy

Could Do a Lot Better

The release of the joint inspection carried out on SEND services is clear Warwickshire could be doing a lot better. To those who know the services the report has no surprise. The question that needs to asked now is how the County Council will react to the findings. Read the report findings here Send Report on Inspection

The Liberal Democrats will measure the progress on the findings in the report and will check it against the coproduction of service provision with honest genuine working together, shining a light on decisions enabling greater transparency on every decision with added greater democratic accountability.