THE city centre will have an even stronger team of bobbies on the beat despite controversial force cuts, says a top policeman.

As part of the shake-up Worcester’s city centre policing team will change from two sergeants and eight PCs based at Worcester’s Guildhall to one sergeant, five PCs and three police community support officers (PCSOs) based at the police station in Castle Street.

The team will move out of the Guildhall to the city’s police station in June and the new structure will come into force in September.

The retention of the city centre team in the face of police cuts has been praised by Councillor Jabba Riaz, Worcester City Council’s cabinet member for safer and stronger communities, who worked with the police to try and keep a strong police presence in the city centre.

As we reported, up to 31 police bases across West Mercia could be affected by the cuts with 11 such bases to close completely and 19 or 20 others to be shut and replaced by alternatives.

He said: “It’s vital that people are safe and protected. “It is important a high police presence is seen on the streets. “This is a victory for democracy in a way. Residents expressed concern regarding the changes. I have been able to relay those and help to get a better result than the original proposal.”

Despite the increase in the number of PCSOs instead of PCs, Supt Mark Travis, commander of the south Worcestershire local policing team, said the city centre team would still have the skills and strength to meet the challenges ahead. We previously reported how West Mercia Police has pledged to scrap plans to axe 49 PCSO roles across the area between now and 2015.

The move, revealed by police and crime commissioner Bill Longmore, will mean that the current figure of 233 PCSOs is maintained.

Supt Travis said: “The city centre team is going to be as strong as it is now with a greater degree of flexibility particularly in dealing with issues linked to anti-social behaviour and disorder.” He said the anti-social behaviour at the Hive in Worcester was the kind of issue PCSOs could tackle.

He said the team would work with city centre retailers and pubs and clubs, “reducing anti-social behaviour and violence” but would also help locate missing people and tackle shoplifting.

DI Stuart Murphy said the team would also be using section 27 notices which allow officers to ban people from the city centre for 48 hours to prevent crime.