Lib Dem Budget Proposals to Bring 40 Extra Police Officers to Manchester

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 7th Mar 2007

Lib Dem Budget Plans would bring more Police Officers to the Streets of Manchester

Opposition Liberal Democrats at Manchester Town Hall today proposed a cash boost of nearly £1.7million to fund an extra 40 police officers on the beat to tackle crime on Manchester streets. The call comes after an alarming increase in gun crime in parts of Manchester.

Opposition Finance Chief Cllr Marc Ramsbottom said: "Fighting crime has got be our number one priority in Manchester. This Council talks tough, but has failed to deliver when it comes to making our streets safer. Many residents tell us that what the police need is not yet more new laws but more police on the streets to catch thugs and yobs. We will, in agreement with the Chief Constable, fund the extra police officers that he needs to reduce crime and make our communities safer."

Lib Dems would fund the extra police by reducing the subsidy to URBIS museum and spending some of the cash dividend the Council receives from Manchester Airport. Lib Dems also say they would cut back on Councillors' allowances and get rid of perks such as the chauffeur-driven limousine that is used to ferry the Council Leader around the city to meetings.

Cllr Ramsbottom also slammed Labour's unfair and unjust Council Tax: "We believe that the Council Tax is an unfair tax that disproportionately affects people on low incomes, and should be scrapped. Nationally, the poorest 10% pay over 4 times more of their income in council tax than the richest 10%. Therefore Lib Dems will be proposing a zero increase in Council Tax bills for the coming financial year."

Deputy Leader of the Opposition on Manchester City Council Cllr Paul Shannon, who seconded the budget, said: "The Lib Dems would put more police on the beat, spend more money cleaning up the city and tackling truancy, and increase local spending up to £140,000 per ward. We would freeze the unfair Council tax, and cut spending on Labour's pet projects such as Urbis and chauffeur driven cars. It is a measured package that would help tackle some of the key challenges facing Manchester today."

NOTES:

1. Cllrs Ramsbottom & Shannon presented the full details of the Alternative Budget to the meeting of the Council at 10am on the 7 March.

END