LAST Friday, I returned home from a few days holiday in Kent.

After unpacking and sorting the mail I settled down with a cuppa to read through the week’s Echos, I don’t cancel them as I like to catch up on the local news.

I read the usual stories of the antisocial behaviour on the island ranging from arson to the throwing of a brick at a bus. It all made dismal reading but the headline saying Canvey Town Council were to pay for five community police officers raised my spirits. But it was not to last.

The five “specials” will give a total of 80 hours policing a month leaving 648 hours without extra policing.

I don’t think the yobs and criminals are quaking in their boots!

The cost to the ratepayers of Canvey will be £5,000.

On Saturday morning, I learnt of a lady driver who had her car surrounded by a group of about 15 young yobs shouting at her.

The yobs wore hoodies and had their faces covered so the traumatised woman felt there was no point in reporting it as she could not recognise them.

The town councillors should realise that the island is at crisis point and more needs to be done to help our over-stretched police force.

The £5,000 is a miserly sum considering the needs of our community. It represents only 1.5per cent of the town council’s reserves of £327,339.00.

The island’s elderly residents, women folk, car owners, and decent youngsters deserve better. I am sure that if asked the majority of the island’s ratepayers would call upon the town council to spend more of their money on a substantial number of “special constables” to really make a difference to our community.

Colin Letchford