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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Narrow backing for police horses | Narrow backing for police horses |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| A "misplaced" and "profligate" plan for a £200,000 mounted unit for North Wales Police has been narrowly agreed. | A "misplaced" and "profligate" plan for a £200,000 mounted unit for North Wales Police has been narrowly agreed. |
| The police authority, which voted in favour by nine votes to seven, admitted misgivings about the plan presented by Chief Constable Richard Brunstrom. | |
| It wants assurances that community policing will not suffer. | It wants assurances that community policing will not suffer. |
| Mr Brunstrom defended the proposal for four horses based near Wrexham saying mounted police were more effective than those on foot or in cars. | Mr Brunstrom defended the proposal for four horses based near Wrexham saying mounted police were more effective than those on foot or in cars. |
| The authority's own chairman, Ian Roberts was one of those who voted against the proposal. | The authority's own chairman, Ian Roberts was one of those who voted against the proposal. |
| Mr Roberts said it would send the wrong message to the public and politicians at a time when officers were being withdrawn from streets because of budget cuts. | Mr Roberts said it would send the wrong message to the public and politicians at a time when officers were being withdrawn from streets because of budget cuts. |
| 'Slap in the face' | 'Slap in the face' |
| But other police authority members agreed with the plan, including John Anderson, who said a vote against would be to interfere with the judgement of the chief constable and senior officers. | But other police authority members agreed with the plan, including John Anderson, who said a vote against would be to interfere with the judgement of the chief constable and senior officers. |
| Afterwards, Wrexham MP Ian Lucas called it a "misplaced use of resources". | Afterwards, Wrexham MP Ian Lucas called it a "misplaced use of resources". |
| It is my job to spend creatively, innovatively and effectively when financial times get hard Richard Brunstrom, chief constable | It is my job to spend creatively, innovatively and effectively when financial times get hard Richard Brunstrom, chief constable |
| He said: "At a time when police officers are being withdrawn from the streets because of a lack of funding, to allocate these funds to police horses is a slap in the face for the public." | He said: "At a time when police officers are being withdrawn from the streets because of a lack of funding, to allocate these funds to police horses is a slap in the face for the public." |
| Mr Brunstrom has defended the 200,000 set-up cost as "trivial" in the context of the budget for the area, but acknowledged it would be necessary to prove sceptics wrong. | Mr Brunstrom has defended the 200,000 set-up cost as "trivial" in the context of the budget for the area, but acknowledged it would be necessary to prove sceptics wrong. |
| He told the police authority in his experience the public, who had seen police horses in action in a trial period in the run-up to Christmas, were overwhelmingly in favour. | He told the police authority in his experience the public, who had seen police horses in action in a trial period in the run-up to Christmas, were overwhelmingly in favour. |
| Mr Brunstrom said: "There's a debate, particularly among politicians and others in north east Wales suggesting this is incompetent and profligate. | Mr Brunstrom said: "There's a debate, particularly among politicians and others in north east Wales suggesting this is incompetent and profligate. |
| "But it is my job to spend creatively, innovatively and effectively when financial times get hard. | "But it is my job to spend creatively, innovatively and effectively when financial times get hard. |
| "I want to deliver better services, not give up because money is running out. I disagree in the strongest possible terms with those who think now is not the time for good ideas, I disagree in the most profound terms." | "I want to deliver better services, not give up because money is running out. I disagree in the strongest possible terms with those who think now is not the time for good ideas, I disagree in the most profound terms." |
| He said mounted police were about "six times more effective" than police on foot and "many times more" than police in a car. | He said mounted police were about "six times more effective" than police on foot and "many times more" than police in a car. |
| Mr Brunstrom added that they had secured sponsorship for a quarter of the running costs. | Mr Brunstrom added that they had secured sponsorship for a quarter of the running costs. |
| 'Shortfall' | 'Shortfall' |
| "I'm not asking for extra money, it's what we are doing with existing money. It's doing the best we can with public money." | "I'm not asking for extra money, it's what we are doing with existing money. It's doing the best we can with public money." |
| But Anglesey councillor Eifion Jones asked: "If we needed horses badly could we not have hired them? | But Anglesey councillor Eifion Jones asked: "If we needed horses badly could we not have hired them? |
| "Here we are, setting up a prestige stables at Wrexham. Yet we are facing in the next financial year a shortfall of £3m which will probably mean further cuts in staff." | "Here we are, setting up a prestige stables at Wrexham. Yet we are facing in the next financial year a shortfall of £3m which will probably mean further cuts in staff." |
| After the meeting, a police authority spokesman said the narrow majority in favour underlined the misgivings of many of its members. | After the meeting, a police authority spokesman said the narrow majority in favour underlined the misgivings of many of its members. |
| But, overall, they had been persuaded by "the chief constable's case in relation to the additional public reassurance police horses can bring to our streets. | But, overall, they had been persuaded by "the chief constable's case in relation to the additional public reassurance police horses can bring to our streets. |
| "We have sought an assurance that the funding required to establish a mounted unit will not have an adverse effect on neighbourhood policing," the spokesman added. | "We have sought an assurance that the funding required to establish a mounted unit will not have an adverse effect on neighbourhood policing," the spokesman added. |