THE county council is pulling its funding on all but one of the 11 Police Community Support Officers it funds.

County Hall has agreed to keep on its PCSO working with its Trading Standards team.

Avon and Somerset Police were already reeling from the Government’s announcement that it is to reduce funding to police forces by four per cent annually for the next four years.

Responding to the Central Government move, Chief Constable Colin Port said earlier in the week: “A great deal of planning has been undertaken in the last five months to review a number of options that would help us meet different levels of cuts in our budget.

“ Inevitably there will be some changes but until we have more detail I will not speculate.

“There are generally held perceptions by some that people in the public sector are neither innovative nor creative in their thinking.

“My experience is the reverse. Our people are our greatest asset and we will do all we can to protect frontline policing in all its guises, visible on the beat and invisible - but not any less valuable - behind the scenes.

“We will continue to try to improve the quality of life for everyone who lives or visits Avon and Somerset. Our commitment to dismantle, disrupt and destroy crime remains undiminished and we will do all we can to ensure that our communities feel safe and are safe.”