Cheshire police ‘knee-capped’

Feb 25 2008 by Liam Murphy, Liverpool Daily Post

THE leader of Cheshire Police Authority last night said his force was being “knee-capped” by strict Whitehall spending limits.

Cllr Peter Nurse spoke as council tax payers in the county could be asked to dig extra deep in their pockets this year to maintain their police force.

The police authority is pondering a 20% rise in the amount it takes from Cheshire bills.

It is due to meet tomorrow when it will decide on the options before it.

A fairly standard 5% increase in funding from council tax would mean budget cuts and a shortfall in funding of almost £6.5m, probably leading to the loss of 129 officers.

Alternative proposals in the report by Chief Constable Peter Fahy include increases of 10.38%, 13.86%, and 19.99%. These would see increasing stability in the force’s budget with the final option allowing investment in the force, including neighbourhood policing.

In his report to the authority, Mr Fahy said: “If this were to be funded by a further increase in Council Tax, it would add a further £17.39 to band D Council Tax: i.e. a total Council Tax increase of 19.99% compared to the level for 2007/08.”

But he warned that they may face intervention if they try to raise council tax too much, and said the “authority has in previous years been strongly advised by the Government to set its budget within a spending cap”. That cap is normally around 5%.

Police authority chairman, Cllr Peter Nurse, is furious at the situation he finds himself in.

He said: “Capping just penalises authorities like us that have been very frugal and economic - and why for God’s sake? I liken it to knee-capping.”

Earlier this month he was in London to ask ministers for more cash. He was hoping to win support for a 27% rise, but was firmly told this was unacceptable to the Government. Cllr Nurse said: “He was unequivocal what the Government policy was and we’ve made some sort of gesture towards that by looking for a £1.97 rise.

“We’ve got a lot of anti-social behaviour and do have some very serious events.”

He is angry that the possible option of a 20% rise, while steep, would still meanthe authority cannot meet all of its wish list criteria.

Recently the county has seen the high-profile case of father-of-three Garry Newlove, 47, who was kicked to death outside his home in Warrington.

There has also been the ongoing investigation into the death of student Shafilea Ahmed, 17, who vanished from her home in Warrington, Cheshire, in September 2003.

liammurphy