COLCHESTER is set to lose half of its PCSOs.

The town currently has 20 police community support officers but from April 1, it will only have ten.

Opening hours at Colchester police station will also be cut in half.

Cuts are being made across the county as Essex Police has to make more than £12million in cuts during 2016/17.

But in Colchester, they come at a time when crime in the town has increased at a higher rate than elsewhere in the county - as has the population.

The town is also losing its dedicated town centre team.

The funding shortfall will partly be made up by a council tax rise of £4.90 per household which will pay for about a quarter .

However, the rest will have to be found through cuts including more than 200 jobs.

The situation was set to be worse.

In October, Colchester was set to only have six PCSOs but the Government funding cuts were not as severe as feared.

A reduced community policing team will take over neighbourhood policing and the traditional “bobbies on the beat” role.

The West Mersea police station has been switched to being in a doctor’s surgery and the Tiptree police station has been closed.

The Copford police station was closed in 2011 and will now be sold.

The Shrub End police building will remain at the moment but is not open to the public.

No announcement has been made about the Stanway police building, but it is expected to remain.

The central station was open 24 hours-a-day a few years ago but opening hours were cut to reduce costs.

They will be cut again, to Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm from April 1.

160 PCSOS will lose their jobs.

Here is what it means for your district:

  • Colchester 20 cut to 10
  • Tendring 19 cut to 8.
  • Braintree and Uttlesford 26 cut to 9
  • Chelmsford and Maldon 31 cut to 10