Staffordshire's acting police chief insists that no final decision has been taken on controversial changes to police community support officer shifts.

Staffordshire Police has been carrying out a review of the PCSO role, which could see changes to shift patterns and expanded duties.

Unions, MPs and councillors have hit out at the plans, particularly the proposals to reduce evening patrols and have PCSOs finish work at 9pm instead of 10pm.

Acting Chief Constable Becky Riggs, who commissioned the review, says the review is still in the 'consultation phase', which will continue for a few more weeks.

Speaking during Staffordshire Commissioner Ben Adams' police public performance meeting, Ms Riggs also said that the aim of the review is to 'maximise the skills' of PCSOs and 'make best use of their time'.

She said: "I'd really like to see us increase their skills around taking low-level statements from the communities they serve, such as around the seizure of CCTV, so as they're dealing with members of the public they're also capturing evidential materials.

"We know there are periods within the county when we can make the best use of that workforce.

"It's still a review – we haven't concluded that piece of work yet. I'm anticipating that we will resolve that probably in the next couple of weeks. We're in consultation phase with some of our PCSOs.

"I'm mindful that this has attracted a number of media reports and also some concerns being reported into the commissioner's office.

"But to reassure people at this moment in time we're in the consultation phase. We're still working through what the outcome of that is."

Staffordshire Police currently has the equivalent of 166.8 full-time PCSOs, along with 216 neighbourhood police officers and 93 special constables.

Ms Riggs told the meeting that Staffordshire Police's investment in PCSOs is the ninth highest in the country, which she said is a 'really good news story.

She said: "We have over 160 PCSOs here in Staffordshire who are a valuable, important asset for the service we give here in our county, as part of the wider police family supporting the neighbourhoods and communities we serve.

"Some forces are reducing numbers of community support officers. That is not the case for us here in Staffordshire.

"We're very much about continuing that service for our communities."

Mr Adams was also given an update on Staffordshire Police's recruitment of 53 new neighbourhood police officers as part of the government's neighbourhood policing guarantee.

Assistant chief officer for resources John Bloomer said that 43 of the new officers were in post at the end of October.

Mr Bloomer said: "In terms of where the neighbourhood policing guarantee is going in future years, we have yet to receive any detail from the government on what that will look like.

"It is fair to say that the grant we've got this year, the £3 million, will not cover the full cost of the 53 going forward, so naturally we hope the government will fund the difference – if they don't that is a local pressure for us to fund."

Mr Bloomer added that the new officers would also generate additional demand for support services, such as forensics and custody, which would not be covered by the extra government funding.

He also said that while Staffordshire Police still has around 100 fewer officers than it did in 2010, there could be no commitment to increase numbers further without more funding.

Mr Adams said: "We need extra officers in Staffordshire. Other places might not, they might need extra staff.

"Putting it simply, I think they should give you more money, and then you can spend it on local priorities."