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| Police compromise rise proposed | Police compromise rise proposed |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| North Wales Police Authority has agreed a compromise rise of 6.75% for its share of the council tax. | North Wales Police Authority has agreed a compromise rise of 6.75% for its share of the council tax. |
| A vote backing a higher 8.5% rise in the precept was narrowly defeated. | A vote backing a higher 8.5% rise in the precept was narrowly defeated. |
| But the Welsh Assembly Government did not rule out capping it at 5%, and said 6.5% was "significantly higher" than other police settlements. | But the Welsh Assembly Government did not rule out capping it at 5%, and said 6.5% was "significantly higher" than other police settlements. |
| The force is facing a cash crisis and chief constable Richard Brunstrom has warned of £3m cuts, including job losses, if the rise was only 5%. | The force is facing a cash crisis and chief constable Richard Brunstrom has warned of £3m cuts, including job losses, if the rise was only 5%. |
| North Wales Police Authority was locked in a meeting in Colwyn Bay for most of the day, before a compromise figure was hammered out. | North Wales Police Authority was locked in a meeting in Colwyn Bay for most of the day, before a compromise figure was hammered out. |
| We are currently in the process of consulting on principles for capping and will consider any responses as part of this process Welsh Assembly Government | |
| It could still be capped at 5% by Welsh assembly Finance Minister Sue Essex. | It could still be capped at 5% by Welsh assembly Finance Minister Sue Essex. |
| A 8.5% rise won the backing of four councillors on the authority, but it was one short of the five needed to carry the vote. | A 8.5% rise won the backing of four councillors on the authority, but it was one short of the five needed to carry the vote. |
| Last month, Mr Brunstrom criticised the settlement, claiming his force's budget had been cut by £3m in real terms and warned officers could be taken off the beat. | Last month, Mr Brunstrom criticised the settlement, claiming his force's budget had been cut by £3m in real terms and warned officers could be taken off the beat. |
| South Wales Police Authority say neighbourhood policing may be hit | South Wales Police Authority say neighbourhood policing may be hit |
| In October, his force announced it would cut 120 backroom posts by March 2007. | In October, his force announced it would cut 120 backroom posts by March 2007. |
| The police authority blamed its cash crisis on under-funding, but the Home Office has previously said it had received extra funding and services should be protected. | The police authority blamed its cash crisis on under-funding, but the Home Office has previously said it had received extra funding and services should be protected. |
| Mr Brunstrom had put forward options of a 5%, 10% or 15% rise, but the treasurer's preferred option was an 8.5% rise. | Mr Brunstrom had put forward options of a 5%, 10% or 15% rise, but the treasurer's preferred option was an 8.5% rise. |
| Nigel Thomas said a rise of 8.5% most closely reflected public opinion, and would allow community policing levels to be maintained. | Nigel Thomas said a rise of 8.5% most closely reflected public opinion, and would allow community policing levels to be maintained. |
| An assembly government spokesperson said: "We recognise that North Wales Police Authority has come down from the extremely high precept previously suggested. | An assembly government spokesperson said: "We recognise that North Wales Police Authority has come down from the extremely high precept previously suggested. |
| We have to make sure that the people of south Wales are kept safe Ray Thomas, South Wales Police Authority chairman "However, the settlement is still significantly higher than the 5% at which two other Welsh police authorities have already settled. | We have to make sure that the people of south Wales are kept safe Ray Thomas, South Wales Police Authority chairman "However, the settlement is still significantly higher than the 5% at which two other Welsh police authorities have already settled. |
| "We are currently in the process of consulting on principles for capping and will consider any responses as part of this process." | "We are currently in the process of consulting on principles for capping and will consider any responses as part of this process." |
| Earlier, South Wales Police said they needed more than a 3.6% rise because of greater policing pressures, although the Home Office said this was fair. | Earlier, South Wales Police said they needed more than a 3.6% rise because of greater policing pressures, although the Home Office said this was fair. |
| Chief constable Barbara Wilding said the future was looking bleak because of a £3.5m budget shortfall. | Chief constable Barbara Wilding said the future was looking bleak because of a £3.5m budget shortfall. |
| The Home Office said it was receiving its fair share of police funding. | The Home Office said it was receiving its fair share of police funding. |
| But according to the Home Office funding formula, the force should have been in line for a 5.7% rise. | But according to the Home Office funding formula, the force should have been in line for a 5.7% rise. |
| South Wales Police Authority chairman Ray Thomas said front-line services would not be affected immediately because of savings, but he warned neighbourhood policing could be affected if cuts continued. | South Wales Police Authority chairman Ray Thomas said front-line services would not be affected immediately because of savings, but he warned neighbourhood policing could be affected if cuts continued. |
| Mr Thomas, who is planning to lobby MPs and the assembly government, said that as the force policed Cardiff and Swansea - as well as major sporting events and Cardiff International Airport - it deserved more funding. | Mr Thomas, who is planning to lobby MPs and the assembly government, said that as the force policed Cardiff and Swansea - as well as major sporting events and Cardiff International Airport - it deserved more funding. |
| "If you look at the geography and the build-up and the population in south Wales... We're 42% of the country as a whole. | "If you look at the geography and the build-up and the population in south Wales... We're 42% of the country as a whole. |
| "We've got two major cities within our area - Cardiff and Swansea - and that brings its own problems," he said. | "We've got two major cities within our area - Cardiff and Swansea - and that brings its own problems," he said. |
| "We have to make sure that the people of south Wales are kept safe." | "We have to make sure that the people of south Wales are kept safe." |