Lib Dem City Council spends more money on policing. (Garston and Halewood Liberal Democrats)

Garston and Halewood Liberal Democrats <info@garstonld.org.uk>

Lib Dem City Council spends more money on policing.

March 4, 2008 1:26 PM

Police on the Beat Liverpool City Council will in this year budget allocate an additional £2.4m to help Merseyside Police keep the city safe. The schemes which are to be funded directly through the City Council, as the accountable body, in partnership are:

* Prolific Offenders Unit

* Joint agency Group schemes

* Operation Spider

* Police on Mountain Bikes

* Pub Watch

* Visual Speed Counters

* Burglar Alarms for the Elderly

* Gang initiative & Gun Crime

* Behaviour & Improvement through schools

* Educational Welfare team

* Merseyside Road Safety Camera Partnership

* Domestic & Racial Violence

Goldzone Policing

The Liberal Democrat City Council Leader, Warren Bradley, is waiting to hear from the Home Secretary, Jackie Smith, regarding a joint approach to resolve the problems that communities are facing with violent/gun crime and anti-social behaviour.

Warren Bradley said, "I have the support of the other major city Leaders across the UK in asking the Government to meet and discuss additional funding for policing in all the towns and cities in the UK. Liverpool is not unique, and is not the only city with these issues. Residents continually tell me that they don't feel safe, and the only way of resolving this is by more Police being deployed. The City Council does not have the ability to find more resources for policing on top of the large amount we already provide, and Merseyside Police are doing all they can in putting Police Officers on the streets; but the Government are continually cutting back.

We are proud of the joint working that is undertaken between the Police, the City Council and other agencies, and we believe residents are getting good value for money, but we need the Government to provide further funding for additional Police Officers on the streets. The Liberal Democrats both locally and nationally have been requesting proactive action, but still the Government ignore our pleas."

The City Council fully supported, along with their partner neighbouring councils, the funding bid for additional Police Officers to be deployed during Capital of Culture year, made by Merseyside Police to the Government - this was refused by the Government.

Warren Bradley remarked, "This was a real 'kick in the teeth' for Liverpool and Merseyside, one wonders whether the Government will support the City in anything it does; we will continue to strive to make peoples lives safer. Liverpool City Council is certainly putting its money were its mouth is; and we ask the Government to follow suit."