Police cuts coming to a borough near you - Dee Doocey

5.00.00pm GMT Wed 17th Mar 2010

Dee Doocey, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly policing spokesperson and member of the MPA challenged the Mayor today at City Hall over the harmful impact of his 5% cut in the budgets that Borough Commanders will have to make over the next three years.

Commenting after her questioning of the Mayor she said:

"Despite fierce opposition the Mayor has pushed through a budget which clearly states that he will cut 455 police officers by the time of the Olympics.

"However this cut is only half of the story. The Mayor is also cutting the local budget for every borough commander by 5% for the next three years.

"With 84% of borough commander budgets spent on staffing costs there will be a harsh choice facing every borough commander - do they cut civilian staff and force police officers to come off the streets to do these jobs, or do they slash expenditure on vital items such as police patrol cars.

"The Mayor has described these cuts as 'adjustments' to budgets. In truth its simply a cut in front line policing."

ENDS

Notes to editors:

1. A webcast of Dee Doocey question to the Mayor can be seen at this link (starting at 11.12 am) http://www.london.gov.uk/who-runs-london/the-london-assembly/webcasts

2. The 2010/2011 Metropolitan Budget expects borough commanders to make a 5% reduction in their local (devolved) Borough budgets in each of the next 3 years - a total saving of £8.9 million per year, out of a budget of £179 million in 2009/10.