Cash for PCSOs safe, council announces

FUNDING for 324 police community support officers in Leeds will remain intact, the city council has announced.

By The Newsroom

Published 12th Jan 2011, 10:12 BST

Updated 12th Jan 2011, 10:12 BST

The council will spend 1.4m on PCSOs in the city next year – the same as in 2010/11.

Leeds currently has a total of 324 PSCOs working across the city. Most of those are paid for jointly by the council and West Yorkshire Police, although a small number are funded independently.

The news comes as Leeds Council faces tough decisions in order to cut 90m from next year's budget following the Government's Public Spending Review.

Chief Superintendent Mark Milsom, of West Yorkshire Police's City and Holbeck Division, said: "We are delighted at Leeds City Council's decision because it demonstrates the strength our of joint commitment to making the communities of Leeds even safer.

"The real winners from this decision will be local people in local neighbourhoods."