MORE needs to be done to tackle rural crime in the Maldon district in light of planned police cuts, councillors have claimed.

Councillors at the crime and disorder committee discussed why just 2.3 per cent of the 342 burglaries committed in the year before August were solved.

Elaine Bamford said: “This district is very different to many other districts.

“We are very rural and have an ageing population.

“There is a concern about the reduction in PCSOs. We rely on having these PCSOs.

“I realise that funding is the issue but because of our geography, we are very concerned about that.”

She said there were concerns the data collected did not reflect the amount of crime as many people did not report incidents.

Chairman Adrian Fluker said: “Burglaries are up 56 per cent and solve rates have dropped by 48 per cent. “I can’t believe there is a policeman in the country who could defend that.”

Police and crime commissioner Nick Alston told the meeting: “In Maldon, we have the lowest crime rates in the county. There has actually been a reduction in crime.”