This week's readers' letter: Political will is not there

As Conservatives, committed to community safety, and law and order we feel compelled to write in response to the mayor’s recent letter about the level of policing in Doncaster’s town centre.

We are all elected to Doncaster Council, we represent different wards across the borough and we know that there are varying levels of crime.

The mayor speaks of achievement but it is not of her doing.

The recently extra 269 extra police officers that have been recruited in South Yorkshire are as a result of a government policy to add 20,000 officers to forces by March 2023 and is not down to Ros Jones or council policy.

The increase in Town Centre Ambassadors has come about due to government policy ring fencing grant money for this purpose alone.

This is not due to the mayor’s innovation.

Whilst we acknowledge the previous ten years has put pressure on the police, the significant increase in numbers should be utilised across all the authorities in South Yorkshire.

The fact that there now seems to be a public falling out, between the mayor and the PCC is down to a void in decision making and meaningful local policy.

This is why there has not been any effective management of the town centre issues and an increase in public complaints.

It will only get worse because the political will is not there to bring about a real change.

Agreement and consensus are needed between the mayor and PCC to make good use of the increased police numbers, and the mayor does not seem to want to concede on anything, meaning that Doncaster suffers.

We hope the mayor is successful in her request but we believe more needs to be done to work with central government so that Doncaster benefits from the increase in police number.

Yours, in demonstrable political unity, all Doncaster Conservative Councillors.

Via email.