COUNCILLORS have been left flabbergasted after finding out that police officers in Wellington are going to be given pushbikes rather than patrol cars to help combat crime in the town.

The latest meeting of the Somerset West Independent Advisory Group saw members given an update on plans for future neighbourhood policing in the Wellington area.

A report which went before Wellington Town Council on Tuesday (April 3) revealed that Police Community Support Officers – better known as PCSOs – would be taken off front-line policing duties unless it was urgent or critical situations and instead be deployed out and about in the community so that they could be ‘visible and engaging’.

The report said patrol cars would go and PCSOs would be given bicycles to get about – something which has left Wellington Town Council members worried.

Cllr Andrew Govier said: “I’m concerned about the level of policing in the town. The officers we have work very hard and do their best but we need more.

“There is a risk that we aren’t getting the level of policing we need. Our PCSOs do an excellent job but there aren’t enough of them.”

For the full story, see this week’s Wellington Weekly News.