VITAL police community support officers will remain on the beat in the Tendring district, thanks to deals struck with councils.

A new contract has even been signed to provide an extra PCSO to patrol Clacton town centre.

The appointment has been paid for by Tendring Council, which also aims to provide two more in future to cover other areas.

The move comes after Essex Police withdrew its funding for PCSOs in some villages.

Council leader Mick Page put pen to paper, along with acting district commander Chief Insp Russ Cole.

The deal will see the PCSO employed by Essex Police for a two-year period.

Mr Page said: “We now have an additional PCSO for Clacton and we want two more – one to focus on the council’s housing estates and one to be deployed wherever there is the greatest need.

“We have the legal agreement in place for the first appointment and we will continue to press for the other two to be brought on board as soon as possible.”

Mr Page said he was keeping a commitment he made when he became leader earlier this year to take a strong line on community safety and crime.

A contract has also been signed between the police and Great Bentley and Alresford Parish Councils. The villages stumped up the cash to pay for popular village PCSO Louise Cox after fears were raised she would be redeployed elsewhere.

They joined forces after Essex Police said they would no longer share the £32,000-a-head cost of PCSOs with parish and town councils.