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Police body backs force's horses Narrow backing for police horses
(29 minutes later)
Controversial plans for a mounted section have been given the blessing of North Wales Police Authority. A "misplaced" and "profligate" plan for a £200,000 mounted unit for North Wales Police has been narrowly agreed.
The four horses will be based at Erddig near Wrexham. The police authority, which voted in favour by nine votes to seven admitted misgivings about the plan presented by Chief Constable Richard Brunstrom.
But chairman Ian Roberts voted against, warning that the decision was politically sensitive and could send the wrong message. It wants assurances that community policing will not suffer.
Chief constable Richard Brunstrom described the £200,000, needed to set up the unit, as trivial in the context of eastern division's budget. 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 vote was passed by nine votes to seven at a meeting held in Colwyn Bay on Friday. The authority's own chairman, Ian Roberts was one of those who voted against the proposal.
Mr Roberts said the decision would send out the wrong message to the public, MPs and AMs at a time when officers were being withdrawn from the streets because of budget cuts. Mr Roberts said it would send the wrong message to the public and politicians at a time when officers were being withdrawn from streets because of budget cuts.
It is my job to spent creatively, innovatively and effectively when financial times get hard Richard Brunstrom, chief constable 'Slap in the face'
Other members also warned about the difficulties that could be faced when seeking cash for next year's precept. 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.
Mr Brunstrom said 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. Afterwards, Wrexham MP Ian Lucas called it a "misplaced use of resources".
However he acknowledged that it would be necessary to prove the sceptics wrong. 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He said: "At a time when police officers are being withdrawn from the streets because of a lack of funding, to allocate these funds to police horses is a slap in the face for the public."
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.
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 spent 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.
'Slap in the face' '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."
Councillor Terry Renshaw, of Flintshire, said it would raise community policing to a new level.
Another authority member, John Anderson, said a vote against would be to interfere with the judgement of the chief constable and senior officers.
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."
Wrexham MP Ian Lucas MP called it a "misplaced use of resources". After the meeting, a police authority spokesman said the narrow majority in favour underlined the misgivings of many of its members.
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." 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.