MPA concerns about policing of Mayor's proposed New Year's Eve party

05/00
10 July 2000

At this morning’s Metropolitan Policy Authority meeting, concerns were expressed in regard to the costs and safety implications of the Mayor’s proposed New Year’s Eve Party. The Chair of the Metropolitan Police Authority, Lord Toby Harris said:

“We are extremely concerned at the implications of having to meet the policing costs of major events such as the Mayor’s proposed New Year Party. The cost of this particular event could be between £2.5m and £3m and if the MPA have to meet this out of the present budget that would be equal to employing 100 fewer police officers.

“An event on the scale of last year’s Millennium Eve celebrations, when some three million people were present at midnight along the Thames in central London, carried serious public safety risks. Last year the MPS’s abilities and resources were tested to the limit, notwithstanding intensive planning and preparation. A detailed review of last year’s event concluded that future celebrations should be on a smaller scale and to a more dispersed design. Whatever the event this year it is vital to public safety that the policing will have to be appropriately resourced.

“Nobody wants to stop people having fun but the Mayor must understand that we and the police have got to be satisfied about safety and somebody has to pick up the bill.”

Notes to editors

The Metropolitan Police Authority took over responsibility for the Metropolitan Police Service from the Home Secretary on 3 July, marking the most radical change in the policing arrangements for London in 170 years. The Metropolitan Police Authority held its first meeting on 26 June, 2000 at which Lord Toby Harris was elected Chair and Peter Herbert and Richard Barnes were elected Deputy Chairs.

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