SIMON WRIGHT CHALLENGES HOME SECRETARY OVER CUTS TO POLICE COMMUNITY SUPPORT OFFICERS

Simon Wright, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesman for Norwich South, has today written to Home Secretary John Reid over cuts to proposed numbers of Police Community Support Officers for Norfolk. The Home Office has slashed funding to recruit 280 officers by one-third.

"Community Support Officers add a valuable visible policing presence on our streets. There is a general feeling that they have brought real benefits in terms of deterring crime and reassuring the public," said Mr Wright.  "They bring particular benefits to the battle against anti-social behaviour."

"What also concerns me about these cuts is that they were announced without any debate locally. How can Norfolk Constabulary be expected to deliver more neighbourhood policing when the Labour Government is not talking to Norfolk about what the county needs?"  "I fear that the result will be that our communities suffer more crime than would have been the case had these cuts not been made."

"I have written to the Home Secretary to ask for a fuller explanation."

RESEARCH TO HELP LANDLORDS AND PEOPLE SEEKING HOMES

North Norfolk District Council has sent a questionnaire to local landlords in the private sector, asking a series of searching and detailed questions - some of them quite personal - to help get their properties occupied by people in need of rented accommodation.  The questionnaire is an early stage in the Council's Opening Doors scheme to build better links with landlords in the private sector, understand the barriers families face in finding rented accommodation, and work with landlords to combat North Norfolk's affordable housing shortage.  NNDC is holding a drop-in session for landlords on Monday, 18 December, from 11.30am to 3pm at its Holt Road office in Cromer to help them find out more about how the Council can support them in finding tenants, and keeping their properties in use and up to standard. Invitations to this session - which includes a buffet from 12noon to 2pm - were sent out with the questionnaires. Landlords are asked to call Debs Skinn on 01263 516184 if they wish to enjoy the buffet, to help cater for the right number.  Councillor Robin Combe, who represents Astley Ward and who is himself a private landlord, received the questionnaire and says he was initially taken aback by it.  "It's quite a daunting document, and some of the questions being asked might seem intrusive," he said. "But the more I thought about it, the more I understood that it really is intended to help landlords get their properties occupied, while also helping to alleviate the affordable housing problem."

The Opening Doors scheme is intended to find new ways to bring landlords and potential tenants together. The questionnaire responses will give NNDC a picture of what problems exist that stop tenants renting properties, like the state of repair of a property, the deposit they are expected to put up, the terms of the tenancy agreement, problems with the processing of benefits, and so on. The Council can then come up with initiatives to overcome specific problems.  Councillor Combe said: "The Council is looking for win-win solutions - things that are going to help both landlords and tenants. I hope landlords will take the opportunity to find out more, and to talk direct to strategic housing officers on Monday about the problems they face. I shall certainly be there."