The Labour/Liberal Democrat Progressive Alliance on Milton Keynes Council is asking for more resources to be allocated towards the local the police service.
Over the last few years, a number of local police stations have either been permanently closed to the public or had their hours reduced - despite Milton Keynes being the largest town in the eastern region (in both size and population).
Government figures from September 2020 show 4,415 full-time equivalent police officers in the Thames Valley police force.
Police community support officer (PCSO) numbers have also fallen dramatically; there were 283 full-time equivalent PSCOs in the Thames Valley police force in September 2020 compared to 368 in March 2020.
Due to the recent headcount cuts to police numbers under the Conservative government, the Progressive Alliance have raised their concerns.
At next week’s Full Council, councillors will be requesting that the Council Leader and Chief Executive write to the Police & Crime Commissioner for Thames Valley to ask when the police service in Milton Keynes will be sufficiently resourced.
Liberal Democrat Progressive Alliance Cabinet Member for Customer Services, Councillor Paul Trendall, will move the motion. He explained the reasoning behind this move as he said: “We’re not seeing as many police officers in Milton Keynes that a town our size needs.
“We need answers from the Police and Crime Commissioner as to when our local police service will be sufficiently resourced, and we need reassurance that these levels will not fall.”
Councillor Lauren Townsend, Labour Progressive Alliance Cabinet Member for Public Realm, is seconding the motion and added:
“Unfortunately crime is rising, and so is the fear of crime. Residents deserve to feel safe and supported by their local police force, and that can only happen if the police themselves are supported.”
