Concerns have been raised about Northumbria Police's plan to cut more than 100 community support officers following a spate of crime in a Northumberland town.
Coun Gordon Stewart, who represents the Prudhoe South ward on Northumberland County Council, spoke out after police made three arrests following a bank holiday weekend of "mayhem" on the town's Biverfield Road at Easter.
Three people were arrested following an alleged assault, and have since been charged. Investigations are continuing into an alleged incident of criminal damage on April 10.
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This was followed by the discovery of a cannabis farm on nearby West Wylam Drive on April 12, with an investigation subsequently launched by officers.
Northumbria Police announced in March it would be cutting 95 current PCSOs, as well as a further 41 posts that are currently vacant, leaving just 60 remaining after the major restructure. The force explained it was facing a £12 million inflation crisis and could not add 134 officers to its neighbourhood teams while continuing with current PCSO numbers.
Coun Stewart said the new changes needed to be brought in effectively.
He said: "Prudhoe is a very quiet, but large town with low levels of crime and anti social behaviour. Therefore, these incidents have shaken the tight-knit community.
"People just want to enjoy their homes and great local facilities. Those whose lifestyles impact adversely upon the law abiding community have to be brought to account.
"I welcome the Government's major investment into policing and the recruitment of warranted officers, but in communities such as Prudhoe and many others across Northumberland there are real benefits of having a visible police presence provided by PCSOs, where information and intelligence is gathered from a range of local community sources can assist in the prevention and also the detection of crime.
"I hope the balance of PCSO's and warranted officers is well thought out. I would encourage the Police & Crime commissioner to engage in meaningful dialogue locally. I have been in discussions with her already and hope this will continue.
"I would be disappointed if the true number of new warranted officers was not made clear. All communities are different, and I want this major change to policing to be rolled out effectively."
Coun Stewart explained that a previous consultation carried out in Prudhoe with regards to a front desk facility in the town had been received poorly by local people.
He added: "I was concerned at a poorly executed 'consultation' process relating to the closure of the front desk facility in Prudhoe and residents still bring this up regularly, I have discussed this with the PCC and always found her to happy to engage about such issues raised.
"There was a promise that staff would be redeployed from the desk to answering telephone or online enquiries, but residents tell me there is still a huge amount of work needed to improve that service."
Responding to Coun Stewart's comments, Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Kim McGuinness, said: “The problem is budgets - we simply don't have the resources to both increase police officer numbers and keep all PCSOs and I share people’s frustrations with this.
"This could have all been avoided if Government had funded our £12m inflation shortfall and chosen to fund Northumbria Police sufficiently. Operational plans will be made by Northumbria Police to meet the needs of different communities, like Prudhoe, and will involve moving 60 PCSOs and redeploying 134 police officers into local neighbourhoods.”
Northumbria Police have confirmed that three people have now been charged in connection with an alleged assault in Prudhoe on Friday, April 7.
Kimberly Dixon, 37, of Iriving Place in Prudhoe, David Fowler, 39, of no fixed abode, and Tom Worthington, 31, of Castle Road, Ovingham, will appear before Newcastle Crown Court on May 9.
Enquiries into the cannabis farm and criminal damage remain ongoing, and police have asked anyone with information that could assist the investigations to come forward.
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