New policing scheme could be over before it really begins

12.23.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 5th Apr 2004

The Met's new neighbourhood policing scheme may have to be scrapped in just a couple of years because the Government has failed to guarantee its future funding.

Graham Tope, London Assembly police spokesperson and Metropolitan Police Authority member, said:

"While we support and welcome introduction of the Metropolitan Police Service's Safer Neighbourhoods project, it is a concern that the scheme only has funding for this year.

"The costs of a fully expanded scheme is expected to top £300million within six years. Such a financial burden should not fall solely on London council tax payers who already pay for a police service which, because of its national counter-terrorism responsibilities, has been distracted from neighbourhood policing.

"Unless the project is funded by central Government, its planned expansion across London is threatened."