Hampshire’s non-emergency 101 police number is to be axed.
The scheme will end in February 2008 after the Government decided to withdraw funding for the service.Since the scheme was set up last May as one of the first in the UK, it has received tens of thousands of calls from residents concerned about vandalism and other non-emergency problems.
However it has also been plagued with criticism, with some users complaining their calls were never acted on.
Last month, Ministers said the Home Office were to tell areas already trialing the scheme, including Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, to expect a reduction in cash because of 'severe financial pressures'.
Prospective Winchester MP, Steve Brine said; “This is absolutely typical of Gordon Brown’s Government. A headline-grabbing announcement made with lots of fanfare and then quietly dropped when their attention has moved onto the next big thing. People in Winchester and Chandler’s Ford are rightly concerned about many of quality-of-life issues that affect their neighbourhoods and we have all worked hard in the past year to promote the 101 number.
"We are constantly being told to report crime and anti-social behaviour and this was a way to do just that without the potentially dangerous affect of blocking the emergency 999 service. As police budgets in our area come under increasing pressure, it is essential local people can help the police maintain a real-life picture of what is happening on the ground in this area. I fear this short-sighted move will have a negative knock-on effect and would urge Ministers to think again.”
Following the announcement, Hampshire Constabulary said they were still convinced the 101 number would continue and that they were working on ways to continue funding it.
Pictured above; Hampshire Chief Constable Paul Kernaghan at the 101 number launch last May.
EXTERNAL LINKS
You can visit the Home Office 101 site via: www.101.gov.uk