Three more Police Community Support Officers will be saved in the district after Essex Police agreed to raise its portion of council tax bills.

The force had planned to lose 190 of the county’s 250 PCSOs, including 24 of the 31 covering Maldon and Chelmsford.

But after receiving more Government funding and agreeing to raise its council tax precept by 3.36 per cent, 160 PCSOs will now lose their jobs.

The rise, which amounts to £4.95 a year for a Band D taxpayer, means therewill be ten PCSOs covering the Maldon and Chelmsford division, not seven, Adrian Fluker, chairman of Maldon District Council’s crime and disorder committee, said the district had still been left shortchanged and pledged to take it up with Chief Constable Stephen Kavanagh at a meeting next month.

He said: “Of course it is great news that the number of PCSOs for the Maldon District and Chelmsford City area might increase from seven to ten.

“But the proposed police council tax increase that could be raised from the area equates to around £500,000 and I would have preferred to have seen all of that money spent on front line services in the Chelmsford and Maldon Division.

Mr Fluker said he also believed Southminster Police Station, due to close next month as part of a series of cuts, should be given to the community rather than sold by Essex Police.

Maldon campaigner Chrisy Morris said: “The amount of money being spent on policing in Maldon is ridiculous, when you look at the amount of money spent on real crime prevention.

“We all know PCSOs are basically plastic policemen and they have no real powers.

“I would be interested in special constables, the only real costs would be training and equipment. You’d get more bobbies on the beat and they wouldn’t have to spend the money.”

Chief constable Stephen Kavanagh said a lack of funding undermined the ability to deliver consistent policing and the precept needed increasing.

He said: “An increase of around 10p per week would keep more PCSOs within the force, tackle changing crime in the county and is the best wayof protecting and serving the people of Essex.”

He said PCSOs were held in high regard by the communities they served and having more on the beat would help with local policing.