IN ANSWER to the questions that Steve Kay poses in his ill-informed letter (HAS Dec 4), Neighbourhood Policing remains a priority for Cleveland Police and that will continue for as long as I am the Police and Crime Commissioner.

The Government has cut funding to the force by 36 per cent in the past seven years resulting in the loss of 500 officer posts and is planning a further real term cut of over £2.5 million next year.

Instead of undermining hardworking police community support officers, Steve needs to join me in doing all he can to ensure the MPs representing this part of the world use their vote to defeat any budget measures that would result in these further cuts to Cleveland Police.

I will ensure that the new Chief Constable is aware of the high priority we place on community policing, but he or she can only deploy the officers at their disposal and that is reliant on Government funding.

Barry Coppinger, Police and Crime Commissioner for Cleveland