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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 | 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." |
| Darren Millar, a member of the authority and Conservative Welsh assembly elections candidate, said he was disappointed it had been "forced into this decision because the Home Office is not providing the money to fund protective services." | |
| 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." |