ESSEX Police and Crime Commisioner Roger Hirst has announced today that he is able to have a rethink about plans to axe the county's police community support officer (PCSO) service and cut up to 60 support staff jobs following an increased payout from the government.

The threat to dispose of the county's 99 PCSOs was reported on Thurrock Nub News on Tuesday (28 January) when Mr Hirst said: "PCSOs are the eyes and ears. They offer reassurance. They are a lot of the local intelligence. They do a valuable job.

"But in the end, police constables have more powers, and therefore, it is important we retain our officer cohort, and if we are left with a £12.5 million shortfall, somewhere has to give."

However, news of an extra £100m for policing nationwide has changed the situation.

Mr Hirst said: "As PFCC for Essex and the joint national finance lead of all police and crime commissioners in the UK, we appreciate the government has listened to concerns from police forces across the UK and we welcome the announcement of additional funding.

"We've lobbied hard for this funding to be increased through the consultation period. The decision we announced earlier this week has created concern and has resulted in change. This has been a difficult few days, we recognise the impact our announcement has had on people's lives.

"This funding will go some way to bridging the £5.3m budget shortfall identified by Essex Police, allowing officers in the county to get crime down further and create safe, secure communities building prosperity and wellbeing for all. This is something we all want, no matter what political party we represent and support.

"We have opened our books and shared the details of our budget with the Home Office, details which forced us to make painful decisions. We value the lobbying work our Essex Labour MPs made to secure more funding for Essex Police and policing nationwide.

"We look forward to working with the Home Office and wider partners as we establish a long-term funding settlement which will allow police officers to continue their vital work in communities across Essex and the UK."

"Making hard-working PCSOs and police staff redundant was always going to be the hardest decision we would ever have to make. Our aim has always been to maintain the great progress we have made since 2016 in building Essex Police to be the biggest and strongest it has ever been. On the back of today's announcement, we will revise our proposals for 2025/26."

"I was elected to get crime down and create a visible police presence on the streets of Essex. Neighbourhood Policing, prevention of crime and intervention has always been at the core of our approach to getting crime down.

"This additional support from Government will help us continue with my stated ambition to reduce crime by 40 per cent during my term of office, as outlined in the Police and Crime Plan 2024- 2028.

"However hard the decisions, I am committed to working with everybody in Essex and nationally to secure the resources that Essex police need to achieve that aim."