Authority endorses more money for policing London

26/00
13 October 2000

The Metropolitan Police Authority last night endorsed a draft budget for 2001/2002 for the Metropolitan Police which has been submitted to the Mayor.

The draft budget represents a 10.5 per cent increase over the current year. This has to be seen in the context of a national increase of 10.1 per cent for police reflected in the Government’s public spending plans. The final budget will have to take account of the amount of government grant allocated to the MPA and the consequent impact on the council tax precept which will be set by the Mayor.

Toby Harris, Chair of the Metropolitan Police Authority commented:

“The draft budget provides for total police officer numbers by March 2002 of 26,650 which represents an increase of more than a thousand over the original budget provision for the current year. This assumes that we are able to take up in full our allocation of extra officers under the Government’s Crime Fighting Fund and recruit a further 251. It is too early to say whether the recent improvement in pay, the current recruitment campaign and changes in recruitment requirements will enable this target to be met.”

The budget will be further reviewed during November and December before a final submission is made for incorporation in the May’s consolidated budget proposal, which goes before the Greater London Authority.

Notes to editors

The Metropolitan Police Authority took over responsibility for the Metropolitan Police Service from the Home Secretary on 3 July. Lord Toby Harris is the Chair and Peter Herbert and Richard Barnes are Deputy Chairs.

Further media information

For further information, please contact the MPA press office.

Send an e-mail linking to this page

Feedback