Last October and November Liberal Democrats campaigned strongly against the G4S outsourcing planned by the Conservative Police and Crime Commissioner. He has finally listened and scrapped the unpopular and inappropriate plan.

This is great news for the public and the many local workers affected by the plan, but the question now remains how will the Conservatives now balance the police budget?  The G4S plan was the “silver bullet” that was devised to deliver the budgetary savings that are needed to make the books balance.

Liberal Democrat County Councillor, Chris White (St Albans Central) said, “The Liberal Democrat team are watching the police budget very closely.  Significant savings need to be made, even more so now that Conservative Police and Crime Commissioner has appointed himself a Deputy which means Herts Police now have to find an extra twenty thousand pounds a year to pay for her two days a week.

“Front line police numbers must not be cut to balance the books, especially when the Crime Commissioner and his Deputy are pocketing £95,000 a year in salaries plus expenses.”