The Chief Constable of Leicestershire Police has said Oakham's departed neighbourhood beat officer will be replaced "as soon as we are able to". 

The town is currently without a dedicated neighbourhood officer after the former officer departed last month. 

At a meeting of the police, fire and crime panel yesterday (Sept 23) Rutland County councillor Christine Wise (Lib Dem), who is on the community safety partnership, said she had been the town would not have a beat officer as 'the funding isn't there'. 

The Leicestershire force is facing a deficit of almost £9m this year and at yesterday's meeting the police and crime commissioner Rupert Matthews (Con) said while the local officers had been protected so far, 'the time may come when neighbourhood policing has to take its share of the pain.' 

Leicestershire police are having to spread resources thinner to cover Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland in the face of less funding and more protests. (Photo: Evie Payne)

However, today (Sept 24), chief constable Rob Nixon told the local democracy reporting service the county town will regain a beat officer. 

He said: "There are four beat areas covering Rutland – Oakham Town and Barleythorpe, Rutland North, Rutland South and Uppingham – and the county is part of the Melton and Rutland Neighbourhood Policing Area (NPA). 

"Following the resignation of the officer for the Oakham town and Barleythorpe beat, the resourcing was reviewed. At this time, the Dedicated Neighbourhood Officers (DNOs) for the other three beats are covering the area between them. 

"I would like to reassure the local community that plans are in place to recruit a new DNO to the Oakham Town and Barleythorpe beat as soon as we are able to. 

"These officers also continue to be supported by Neighbourhood Patrol Officers (NPOs) from Melton and other areas of the NPA as well as two dedicated PCSOs for Rutland." 

In recent months neighbourhood officers have been pulled off local duties to deal with other incidents such as policing protests. The commissioner said at yesterday's meeting that he has asked the chief constable to now keep a log of when neighbourhood officers are taken onto other duties.