Police Authority Up Precept by 1.997%

[steveL]

The Police Authority have increased their precept by 1.997% - almost as close to the 2% cliff edge that it's possible to go and introducing the new concept of more for less - Hartlepool is losing 17 PCSOs and Neighbourhood Offices.

Interestingly, CAB and Richardson, our representatives on the new Police and Crime Panel at Cleveland Police, were asked at last night's council meeting what they had done to protest about the maximum increase in the precept. They admitted to only attending a couple of meetings declaring that they considered attending it to be a waste of time even though it's Hartlepool's only way of being represented to Cleveland Police. The question is if they consider it to be a 'waste of time' and hardly ever attend then why not appoint two other representatives that would be bothered to turn up.

There's another possible reason for their none attendance at Police and Crime Panel meetings. Unlike the scrapped Police Authority, the PCP is an expenses only appointment - it no longer comes with its own basic allowance.

Rumbled methinks.