Roger Hirst, Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex (PFCC) has written to Southend Council rejecting a council motion to spare special constables from paying council tax, saying it wouldn’t be fair to Southend council tax payers and is not supported by Essex Police.
If adopted, the motion put forward to by James Courtenay, leader of the Conservative Group, would have come into force in April.
However speaking at a cabinet meeting, Daniel Cowan, leader of the council, said “The PFCC has been very clear he does not support the notice of motion. In particular, the chief constable will not give any undertaking on where specials may be deployed.
“The PFCC and police cannot support the Southend council tax payer resource being used outside of Southend.”
Other options include continuing to look at the community specials scheme which would require the council paying all allowances and expenses, the employer supported policing scheme and delivering through community safety partnerships. Councillors are also exploring free or discounted bus travel for specials.
Mr Cowan added: “The best option is for us to continue doing what we have been doing which is investing in our community safety unit. That’s the best way to achieve the intentions of the motion.
“Having more special constables in Southend is always welcome and we will always encourage anyone who wishes to be a special police constable to sign up for the relevant training to serve their community.
“The PFCC is quite clear they don’t believe having a tax exemption would be beneficial to recruitment. In fact, they think it would be detrimental to recruitment.”
Mr Courtenay said: “It’s disappointing. I understand the concerns around operational deployment. I can understand they don’t want the limitations for that but Southend Council is not going to give council tax exemptions for people to be deployed elsewhere but we could have an Essex- wide scheme.
“There are similar schemes in London so issues around tax and that sort of thing shouldn’t be insurmountable. I’d just call upon cabinet to consider what else can be done to encourage more special constables to be deployed in Southend.”