Council may halt community PC cash

Withdrawing funding for police community support officers could save £300,000 a year for the district council – going some way towards funding a £575,000 black hole in its budget for 2006/07. Since 2003 Huntingdonshire District Council has provided fund

Withdrawing funding for police community support officers could save £300,000 a year for the district council - going some way towards funding a £575,000 "black hole" in its budget for 2006/07.

Since 2003 Huntingdonshire District Council has provided funding for 14 additional PCSOs in the area. But with the Home Office allocation set to increase to provide 109 extra officers this year and 178 in 2007/08, Council Tax payers' contribution can be cut back.

Although details are not yet finalised, the council believes it can save £85,000 this year and the full £300,000 from next April onwards.

Its cabinet will be asked tomorrow (Thursday) to withdraw funding, provided there is no reduction in the number of PCSOs deployed.

The Conservative-controlled council entered the year with a budget that included £575,000 of unspecified "savings" - described by the Liberal Democrat opposition as a "black hole" - as part of a requirement to save £15million over 10 years.