Plea not to cut Surrey Police budget (From Staines Guardian)

Plea not to cut Surrey Police budget

11:43am Thursday 18th June 2009

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Surrey’s community leaders joined forces to back calls for the Prime Minister to reverse plans to cut Surrey Police’s budget.

About 50 people, including MP Jeremy Hunt attended a meeting in Farnham to throw their weight behind the Surrey Police Authority’s (SPA) fight to challenge cuts that would result in the loss of 50 frontline operational posts.

The Government intended to force Surrey Police Authority to reduce its precept level of council tax in 2009/10 and re-bill Surrey residents, a decision which would cost £1.2m in re-billing to cut the Surrey Police budget by £1.6m.

MP Jeremy Hunt said: “People in my constituency have been delighted with the improvements in policing in recent years.

“It will be an unspeakable tragedy if Surrey Police was rewarded for this success by having to cut back on frontline policing.”

The councillors and community leaders have agreed to petition the Prime Minister to reverse the capping order, in addition a petition on Surrey Police Authority’s website protesting against the Government's decision has attracted more than 6,0000 signatures.

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