PARISH councils have given mixed reactions to the idea of paying £11,000 each year towards a Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) dedicated to crime in their area.

The work PCSOs do to combat low-level anti-social behaviour, littering and dangerous parking is particularly appropriate for small rural areas with fewer permanent police officers.

Tattenhall Parish Council chairman Jonny Kershaw said councillors were not impressed.

'We pay for the police anyway - I find it difficult to understand why our parish council should be asked to pay out half our precept. We would welcome more policing, but why should we pay for it twice?

'The situation is only going to get worse with the merger with Merseyside Police because they will draw police resources away from places like Tattenhall.'

Helsby Parish Council is due to discuss the issue in its meeting on Monday, but Cllr Mark Gilson said: 'We need more police in Helsby, but we are already paying for the service.

'It's simply the case that we're not getting it. Employing a PCSO would just mean more money for Helsby residents.'

Cllr John Kerry disagreed. 'I was the first person to float this idea about four years ago,' he said.

'If we're not getting the policing we think we should get, and the police force can't supply it, we must take certain actions to protect vulnerable people in the community.

'I think if we now put the idea to a vote in the village, the majority of people would say yes for the sake of the peace of mind it would bring.'

Farndon Parish Council received Mr Fahy's letter after residents raised concerns about anti-social behaviour in the village.

They have already written to Peter Fahy about incidents where youths were said to smash glass bottles in the street, pull up paving slabs from the Memorial Hall and harass an elderly resident.

Speaking after the meeting, chairwoman Vera Roberts said small parishes such as Farndon would not be able to afford the service, even by uniting with surrounding parishes.

She added: 'PCSOs have been brought in to be a support to their community - I can see the argument for these communities putting their money where their mouth is.'

Would you support a higher council tax precept to pay for a Police Community Support Officer for your parish?

Email rebecca.taylor@ cheshirenews.co.uk or call 01244 606415.

Bobbies will be costly

RESIDENTS can pay a Council Tax premium for their own village bobby, under plans for local officers to tackle anti-social behaviour issues.

Parish councils across Cheshire have been asked to consider paying £11,000 a year out of their Council Tax precept for a designated Police Community Safety Officer (PCSO).

There are already 79 PCSOs in Cheshire who have fewer powers than police officers but can issue fixed penalty notices for parking or disorder offences and confiscate alcohol from under-age drinkers.

This number is to increase to 173 by March 2007 under Government plans to tackle anti-social behaviour by putting more high-visibility PCSOs on foot patrol.

In January Peter Fahy wrote to parish councils across Cheshire explaining that the Home Office will provide 65% of the £30,000 annual cost per PCSO, but that the police authority is not allowed to increase precepts to cover the remaining £11,000.

Instead this will be funded by local councils, community groups and housing trusts.

Sgt Graham Hale of Cheshire Police Force Operations said a parish council's PCSO deals with incidents only in that parish, unless they are needed at a major incident in the county such as a terrorist attack.

He added: 'All PCSOs spend 80-90% of their time on foot or cycle patrol in the area. Because they haven't got as much paperwork to fill in they have the time to get to know people in their community, to go into shops, to go to churches and to integrate into the community.'

Cheshire Police has been told by the Home Office to increase its CSOs from 79 to 173 by March 2007 and to 353 by March 2008.

Parishes that cannot afford the full annual cost can club together with other councils and share the cost and services of the CSO.