Call to scrutinise police budget

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 13th Aug 2004

Councillor David Ward has called on the Council to carry out a close scrutiny of the way the West Yorkshire Police manage their money. He has written to the Chief Executive of the Council asking for an investigation.

He said,

"I have discovered that the Police Authority underspent its budget last year by £8.9m but then put up the Council Tax by 14.9% which raised £9m. They also have over £15m balances spare in the bank and a further £19m earmarked for the future.

"I think that the Council should scrutinise the budget very carefully before the Police set their Council Tax next year. If the Police continue to ask for double-digit Council Tax increases but appear to have so much money unspent, the people of Bradford who pay the bills should know why.

"Bradford Council manages on 1% of its budget in balances but the Police Authority is currently holding 4.5% of its budget.

In the end, it all comes down to putting police officers on the street not keep money in the bank."