Alderley Edge Parish Council are unhappy about the ammount of time our Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) spends in the village. Rebecca Woolley, who took over in Alderley Edge last August, is part funded by the Parish Council to the tune of £11,800 a year.
At last night's Parish Council meeting Councillor Yvonne Wrinch said "If the PCSO is not in the village 4 days per week she is not doing her job."
According to the policing pledge the police service will "Ensure your Neighbourhood Policing Team and other police patrols are visible and on your patch at times when they will be most effective and when you tell us you most need them. We will ensure your team are not taken away from neighbourhood business more than is absolutely necessary. They will spend at least 80% of their time visibly working in your neighbourhood, tackling your priorities. Staff turnover will be minimised."
Since taking over at the Wilmslow Neighbourhood Police Unit Inspector Matt Welsted has met a number of times with representatives of the Alderley Edge Parish Council to discuss the service they receive from the Cheshire Constabulary and to agree how this can be improved as they go forward.
Inspector Welsted said “These meetings have been very useful, informative and positive. As you know, the Alderley Edge Parish Council part fund a PCSO which affords them great influence on community policing in their area. The Parish Council and I are keen to make this partnership as effective as possible in tackling the issues that matter to the people of Alderley Edge.
“One of the improvements we have agreed is closer communication between the Parish Council and the PCSO. This will usually happen informally on a day to day basis, however, a monthly meeting to review what we have been doing, how successful it has been and most importantly what we should prioritise next has been agreed to formalise this arrangement.”
Inspector Welsted added “PCSO Woolley's primary role is to be visible and accessible to the people of the Alderley Edge area, however she only works 40 hours a week and will be called upon when necessary to support police activities elsewhere in the Wilmslow and Alderley Edge area. This team approach is of course reciprocated and officers and PCSO's other than PCSO Woolley patrol the Alderley Edge area on a daily basis."
It was decided at last night's meeting that the Parish Council will request a copy of the PCSO’s log book showing the times and dates she was in the village in the last 4 weeks.
Should any residents wish to meet with Rebecca and discuss anything that concerns them then they can contact her on 0845 458 6374 or by email.
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
I think it is important for the residents to get to know our PCSO and the community should also be active in getting connected with Rebecca, as she would need our input to resolve local policing issues and to make this neigbourhood safer for all.
Also it may be good within the Forum pages to add a new thread as 'Letter to the PCSO' where Rebecca can monitor.