SEND in the European clowns... The bid to increase funding for 12 new police community support officers has failed miserably. The money may be going to fund circus skills workshops.

I can just see the scenario when it's all kicking off in the West End of Morecambe and we say, hold on a minute, here's a couple of oranges to juggle with... now, do a few handstands and a forward roll - that should calm you down.

I know that the police and the city council's economic development office put in a huge amount of work to get this bid ready and it must be a huge disappointment to them.

Any suggestion that the police have not got the resources to manage the bid is ridiculous.

We in the West End are fully behind any efforts to try and overturn this decision. It would make residents lives better - and more importantly, extra police presence makes everyone feel more secure.

Cllr Janice Hanson, Lancaster City Council.