Special constables to get tax breaks for 'keeping city safe'

Volunteer police officers will be offered the incentive for serving in the city

Volunteer police officers will get money off their council tax or be exempt from paying it altogether under plans approved by Southend City Council.

Councillors came together to approve the idea to offer financial help to unpaid police officers after a motion was put forward at a full council meeting.

It is hoped the move will help to recruit more special constables to add to existing policing numbers in the city and reassure the public.

James Courtenay, the Conservative opposition leader on the council, who put forward the motion, said: "We want to offer a small token of our appreciation to them for keeping us all safe."

Former police officer James Courtenay put forward the motion

The motion was put forward following concerns over safety in the city after video footage circulated online this summer showing youths wielding machetes on the seafront.

The Conservatives, who are in opposition to a Labour administration, tabled the motion saying it would help provide "more police officers for major events, protests, times of high footfall and to offer reassurance to our residents".

Mr Courtenay, a former Metropolitan Police officer, has served alongside special constables, who are often deployed at weekends to work with paid-for officers.

Referring to the the cost of cutting their council tax, he added: "A couple of grand at most for a couple of hours of voluntary work is great value for money."

Labour leader of the council, Daniel Cowan, supported the motion, but said details of how it would be applied were still being worked out.

He added: "Essex Police are ultimately responsible for where special constables are deployed, but we are hoping to come to some arrangement to ensure they are in Southend and not elsewhere in the county."

'Hysteria' over crime has damaged city's image

There was concern expressed at the meeting that Southend's reputation had been impacted by media reports of disorder this summer which were spread further online.

Martin Terry, who is Southend's cabinet member responsible for community safety, said: "There has been some hysteria in the media. That national coverage has affected our local economy and local businesses have seen a marked down turn in footfall due to that event."

He told the meeting that anti-social behaviour across the city was actually fallen and said he would also support the motion.

Councillors also discussed the possibility of special constables receiving discounted travel across the city on public transport.

It is not yet known how much the move might cost the council - who would not directly employ the extra officers - but those living in a Band D property in Southend currently pay £2,042 a year in council tax.

The plans will next be discussed by the council's cabinet at a date yet to be set.