POLICE and Crime Commissioner Simon Hayes this week announced that more than a hundred police officers are to be recruited by Hampshire Constabulary.

The plan will see the biggest influx of officers enter the force since 2010 and will enable Hampshire Chief Constable Andy Marsh to see through Mr Hayes’ “commitment to neighbourhood policing”.

His statement allayed fears of government cuts, and was widely welcomed.

“Previous years of government policy cutting funding has put intolerable strain on policing across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight,” Mr Hayes, pictured, said. “I don’t believe that officer numbers can be cut any further, while protecting people and places in the way the public expect.

“Today I’m announcing we will be recruiting 108 new police officers into Hampshire and the Isle of Wight as soon as possible. This supports my commitment to neighbourhood policing, and will have a direct benefit to all communities, both rural and urban.

“These new recruits will bring much needed support to those officers and staff who have been so stretched in protecting the public in recent difficult times.”

Whitehill Town Council leader Adam Carew, who sits on the CTCG (community tasking coordinating group) police liaison committee for Whitehill and Bordon welcomed the announcement.

“This is excellent news in terms of frontline policing in our communities and builds on the welcome news in the Autumn Statement from the Chancellor that there will be no more cuts to police budgets.

“What has concerned residents in recent years is the fact that crime and policing proportion of our council tax has increased whilst police stations including Whitehill have closed.

“There are of course Police and Crime Commissioner elections next year and money has suddenly been produced, given all the efficiency savings, station closures and mergers.

“There is little information as to how this will translate in terms for additional police in Whitehill and Bordon but more frontline police on our streets has got to be welcomed in terms of making our neighbourhood even safer.”

Hampshire county councillor Mark Kemp-Gee, who represents Alton Rural Division, which covers the villages to the west of Whitehill and Bordon, also praised the plans.

He said: “Obviously I welcome this news representing, as I do, 18 parishes spread over 100 square miles of rural Hampshire.”

“Various types of rural crime, such as poaching and shed burglary have been on the increase and there have been epidemics of machinery theft, which might otherwise have been set to continue, given the amount of building sites sprouting up.

“Despite this, Chief Inspector Pirie and her team have been doing a fantastic job in the area and provided East Hampshire receives its fair share of extra police numbers then the future looks bright."

Mr Hayes’ Police and Crime Plan lays out a “clear expectation” that Hampshire Constabulary will become more representative of all communities, specifically in terms of Black Minority Ethnic (BME) officers and staff.

“Within this wave of recruitment, we will look to increase the percentage of BME officers and staff in the force,” Mr Hayes added. “The constabulary must now deliver on its commitment in this respect.”

Over his time as commissioner, Mr Hayes has spoken out about government cuts and has introduced a number of “cost-saving programmes” to keep frontline policing the last area to lose out.

He said that further announcements due to be made in the coming weeks would include details of new investment that will be made to combat cyber crime and bolster the force’s firearms capability.

Chief Constable Andy Marsh said last week that the public were “the real winners” in George Osborne’s decision to hold fire on police cuts.

Welcoming the extra funding, which he said that would help “build morale” and “create a sustainable future”, Mr Marsh added that policing had to adapt to changing patterns of crime.

With the election for Hampshire Police and Crime Commissioner looming next year, parish councillor Don Jerrard announced his plan to stand for the position.

Mr Jerrard told the Bordon Herald that he wouldn’t take a salary if he was appointed to the role.

Mr Jerrard also threw his hat into the ring in 2012’s election but failed to beat Mr Hayes who was elected at the second preference round of voting.