RESPONDING to concerns that one of Haslemere and Hindhead’s two police constables could be withdrawn to help cope with £25 million budget cuts, Surrey Police said specific numbers for individual safer neighbourhood teams (SNT) had not yet been decided.

Haslemere councillor Jim Edwards objected at last week’s Waverley community overview and scrutiny meeting it would be “crazy” to cut one of the team’s two Pcs covering such a big area.

“I know we need to cut services but this is beyond the bone,” he said.

A police spokesman said: “The team responsible for covering the Haslemere and Hindhead areas consists of two Pcs and two PCSOs.

“The team all start and finish work at the Waverley Borough Council offices in Godalming.

“This provides the opportunity for them to work closely with the council to address local issues and concerns. Officers are briefed together daily and will then be working out in the community for the day, using the Wey Hill policing post as a base for ‘housekeeping’ duties. The office is not open to the public.

“As part of the new focus for policing in Surrey – the restructuring plan called Policing in Your Neighbourhood – the local policing team will be bigger as there will be more officers working for a specific borough or district, tackling local problems and supporting smaller but still dedicated safer neighbourhood teams.

“There will continue to be a dedicated local Inspector and dedicated SNT PCSOs who will work with partners such as councils and hospitals to make communities safer. They will be focused on solving the chronic local issues that cause the greatest risk and harm to local communities.

“The specific numbers for individual teams and areas will form part of the detailed planning but final decisions have not yet been made about the figures involved so unfortunately we are not able to share such information at this stage.”