THE Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Gwent, Jeff Cuthbert, has published his first annual report which highlights the key achievements of his office during the last year.

A spokesman for the PCC said the report covers the period from April 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017.

He said: “Some of the key achievements and progress over the last year, as highlighted by Mr Cuthbert in the report, include securing funding to enable Gwent Police to recruit 180 new police officers during 2017/18 to bolster the front-line, tackle emerging crime types such as cybercrime and to protect the most vulnerable in society.

“Other achievements include enhancing the commitment of Gwent Police to mental health wellbeing and launching the Public Response Unit (PRU) to provide an improved level of service for the public by ensuring that any dissatisfaction with Gwent Police is dealt with as quickly and effectively as possible before it evolves into a more serious complaint.”

In the report, Mr Cuthbert also highlights the launching of a new joint emergency services station in Abertillery with fire and ambulance services as one of his successes.

Mr Cuthbert, said: “My first year as Police and Crime Commissioner has been very fulfilling and you can see from this report that we have achieved a considerable amount during this time.

“I’m now looking forward to continuing to deliver against my Police and Crime Plan.”

Mr Cuthbert said there is no doubt that balancing budgets is one of the single biggest challenges all services, policing or otherwise in England and Wales, still face.

He said: “The current funding settlement for policing from the UK Government no longer ensures the resilience of Gwent Police to respond to further increases in demand. If this lack of investment continues, it will undoubtedly have an impact on the service we provide.”

To view the report, visit bit.ly/2zY0CR1