The begging bowl is out again...

[Acrylic-bob]

That fine body of men and women, Lancashire Constabulary, has persuaded the county to rubber stamp an increase in its portion of the County Precept; that part of your council tax that goes direct to Lancs CC. The government say that increases this year should be kept to 5% or they will impose a cap. Lancashire Constabulary want 7.95%.

What do they want it for I hear you ask? They want to employ an extra 84 officers and nine civilian staff. This comes on top of an extra 50 officers and 24 civilian staff paid for by last year's above inflation increase.

What do they want all this extra manpower for? Chief Constable, Steve Finnigan, says that it is to "...combat terrorism and serious organised crime to the standard we would aspire to..."

Perhaps if Chief Constable Finnigan had fewer of his officers hanging around in laybys entrapping motorists with speed cameras and radar guns day after day after day, he might find that he had more than enough men to tackle the terrorist threat to Lancashire. Indeed, he might find that he had more than he knew what to do with.

[lancsdave]

Originally Posted by Acrylic-bob

What do they want it for I hear you ask?

I expected the answer to be ..... translators

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Acrylic-bob

Perhaps if Chief Constable Finnigan had fewer of his officers hanging around in laybys

Well, there is a reported increase in dogging in the area, as a recent front page story in the Observer informed us.

They could also make savings if the political parties didn't insist on having their party confrences in Blackpool.

I hear September in Scarborough is very bracing, and it would mean our trans-Pennine cousins could shoulder the bill for the extra policing, on to their council tax bills.

[Acrylic-bob]

After Labour and the Conservatives were wooed by Manchester MEN Arena it already looks as though the traditional Blackpool conference is a thing of the past; unless Blackpool can get its new conference centre planned and built before the autumn.

[WillowTheWhisp]

Originally Posted by Acrylic-bob

it already looks as though the traditional Blackpool conference is a thing of the past

Good.It's about time somebody else had the 'pleasure'.

[yerself]

Originally Posted by Acrylic-bob

Perhaps if Chief Constable Finnigan had fewer of his officers hanging around in laybys entrapping motorists with speed cameras and radar guns day after day after day, he might find that he had more than enough men to tackle the terrorist threat to Lancashire. Indeed, he might find that he had more than he knew what to do with.

Catching criminals and preventing terrorism doesn't raise revenue though. If the officers in lay-bys were employed as you suggest they wouldn't be generating any income so the Chief Constable would be asking for even more money. Policing today, like the NHS and other so called public services, is no longer about service but profitability.

[cashman]

Originally Posted by Acrylic-bob

After Labour and the Conservatives were wooed by Manchester MEN Arena it already looks as though the traditional Blackpool conference is a thing of the past; unless Blackpool can get its new conference centre planned and built before the autumn.

think that descision was taken when they thought Manchester was getting the "Super Casino"

[shillelagh]

Thing about the conference season is that where ever they go they bring money into the town where they have their conference. Not just from the politicans, the media bbc, itv, channel 4, sky etc all send a team, newspapers send at least one reporter and a photographer, and free lancers aiming to get the one story of the conference, the delegates from all over, then the people who have stalls there advertising their goods/services etc they all need to eat, somewhere to stop maybe a few bevvies, taxis to and from the conference centre or buses - it all adds up. It was all bringing money into blackpool. In fact do the labour party/conservatives/liberal dems not pay towards the policing of it anyway.

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by WillowTheWhisp

Good.It's about time somebody else had the 'pleasure'.

Oh come Willow Peter and Graham won't be able to nip over in their lunch break

[Acrylic-bob]

If Gwent Police are doing this...

Patrol officers are accused of illicit car trips to the seaside - Times Online

what are Lancashire officers up to while they think that no one is looking?