MPA welcomes police budget that will lead to more police and greater financial efficiencies

14/02
13 February 2002

The Metropolitan Police Authority has welcomed today's London Assembly decision to confirm a £2.1 billion policing budget that includes provision for an additional 1000 officers.

But it warned that tighter financial controls and supervision needed to find £60 million of efficiency savings could be threatened if the cost of the on-going security operations introduced in the capital following 11 September is not met through additional Government grants.

Toby Harris, MPA Chair, said:

"This budget goes a long way to delivering the policing priorities of the Authority. It recognises the importance of higher profile policing in the capital and provides for a further 1000 officers to boost community safety and fight the growing menace of drug-fuelled street robbery and gun crime.

"The substantial efficiency savings identified by a financial star chamber of the MPS and MPA, and endorsed by the London Assembly today, are deliberately demanding. We must provide a cost effective and financially efficient police service that offers Londoners value for money. The rigorous implementation of financial monitoring and controls will help us achieve this.

"But the continuing pressures of providing adequate security for our city in the wake of the terrorist attacks in the United States must be addressed by the Home Office as soon as possible. We welcome the £22 million special grant for the present financial year but need to know that the huge cost of providing extra security in the forthcoming year will be covered."

He added:

"This budget is certainly on the right track but we must ensure that the Authority's responsibility for making certain that the police have the necessary resources to make London a safe city is also discharged.

"There is increasing pressure on police to cover all of their essential tasks and we need to prioritise the budget accordingly. There is a trade-off between savings made on overtime, resources and developmental projects, and providing an acceptable level of policing.

"It is our job, working closely with the Commissioner and his senior managers, to make sure that any diminution of service to the people of London is avoided and that borough policing does not suffer as a consequence of efficiency savings made elsewhere."

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