Police 'picking up pieces' with vulnerable, says PCC

North Wales PCC Arfon Jones said his force was carrying out the work of other agencies

Police in north Wales are "picking up the pieces" with vulnerable people because of cuts to other other public agencies, the area's police and crime commissioner has said.

North Wales PCC Arfon Jones said police were increasingly dealing with people with "complex needs" like homelessness, addiction and mental health issues.

He said a multi-agency early intervention hub could reduce demands on the police.

He offered to put up 40% of the budget.

Mr Jones said: "What I am proposing is a smarter way of working that will be to everybody's benefit.

"[A hub] could address underlying causes rather than just the symptoms like we have been doing."

He added: "A lot of time the police are having to pick up the pieces, and then when something goes wrong it's our fault, even though that we're actually working on behalf of another agency that hasn't got the resources in place.

"If local authorities are going to make cuts in the community safety budgets in their authorities then they shouldn't be expecting me to be filling the gap because the money comes from the same place at the end of the day.

"I am also working to a reduced budget so this would be robbing Peter to pay Paul."