UNISON has welcomed the decision of Suffolk police to reject plans to merge control rooms serving the Suffolk and Norfolk police services.
Suffolk police and crime commissioner Tim Passmore rejected the merger plans yesterday and UNISON regional organiser Yvonne Cleary declared: “This is a major victory for the people of Suffolk, UNISON members who work in the control room and common sense”.
UNISON has been campaigning to keep the Suffolk control room in Suffolk.
But the union was less delighted with the response of Norfolk police to the decision.
Norfolk police and crime fommissioner Stephen Bett said that the force will now move to a “plan B” of cutting the number of both police oficers and police community support officers.
“Why is ‘plan B’ the only alternative?” asked Ms Cleary.
“We know that both forces have been making cuts over the past two to four years, to the point where both chief constables are saying numbers are critically low and cannot be cut further.
“UNISON invites the two commissioners, chief constables and the Police Federation to join us in making joint representations to ministers, the Home Office and other politicians, to say ‘enough is enough’ – we are cut to the bone and we can’t cut anymore.
“We need more money for policing in Norfolk and Suffolk.”