Keep police boundaries don't make Kirklees tax payers pay

11.55.19am GMT Wed 9th Nov 2005

Kirklees Council Leader Councillor Kath Pinnock is calling for fellow Councillors in Kirklees to support a motion supporting the retention of the existing police authority boundaries. Councillor Pinnock says "A report recommending that the current structure of the police force was published on 13th September 2005. It says that the current structure is no longer "fit for purpose. On the 22nd Sept the Home Secretary wrote setting out the details of the process to be used in developing options for Police Force restructuring. Given that this is probably the biggest restructure that the Police Force has ever undertaken the whole process seems to be happening at break-neck speed."

"I am really concerned that the impact on the levels of Council tax that the restructured police authorities will be able to charge has just been discounted in the scoring method. It looks like the Government intends for the costs of restructuring and supporting the new arrangements to fall on local government. Council tax levels are already a concern across the region for next year with the Local Government Association already warning of £100 council tax rises. It looks as if the costs of the new arrangements could push Council tax bills here in Kirklees up by another £28."

"I am also concerned that the effects will not be distributed equally across the region as a merger for North Yorkshire, which has one of the highest precepts in the country will benefit to the detriment of tax payers in Kirklees. We would have to bear the much higher costs of policing in North Yorkshire."

Councillor Pinnock wants to make that the Government to agree that the impact on the council tax burden on the residents across the region is included in the cost/benefit appraisal. Also she wants to ensure that an appropriate adjustment is made to the finances of local government to ensure that any restructure does not adversely affect council tax payers in Kirklees. "If this is to happen Council tax payers in Kirklees must not be penalised " says Councillor Pinnock.

"A further worry for Liberal Democrats is the insistence by the Government that the boundaries should be co-terminus with Government Office boundaries. This is further evidence of increasing centralisation rather that effective policing. Police authorities must be more not less accountable. It is unacceptable to have a system whereby police authorities have the power to raise tax, but are completely unelected. Local people need to have a say in how their area is policed - through community policing, and accountable authorities" says Councillor Pinnock.