Community set to pay for officer (From Warrington Guardian)

Community set to pay for officer

A NEW police community support officer costing taxpayers £11,000 could soon be pounding the streets of Barnton.

The parish council has decided to raise £6,000 of this money from its parish precept and hopes to employ someone in October.

Parish clerk Roy Garton said the Home Office had allocated substantial funding to supply the officers.

The Home Office provides 65 per cent of the money, leaving the parish council to fund the rest.

Parish councillor Sara Carter said: "I think this is a good idea. This is what Hartford Parish Council does.

"It would be interesting to see whether the officer was just based in our area or whether they would be expected to go down to town on a Friday or Saturday night."

Parish clerk Roy Garton said: "They have no powers of arrest. They work within the community and deal with issues such as anti-social behaviour."

Clr Helen Kirsopp said: "Since PC Mark Williams has been around there has been a marked improvement in the general behaviour around the village."

Councillors decided to invite someone to the next parish meeting to give them more information about the role of the officer and to put half the money needed to employ an officer on to the precept.

If the parish council then decides not to employ an officer, the money will be kept over.