"£71 levy would add insult to injury" - German

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 19th May 2006

£71 extra every year - that's how much more the average household in Gwent could end up paying for a single Welsh police force.

The figure represents the amount police chiefs believe they would need from the average household every year by 2012 if the Labour Government presses ahead with its plans for a single force.

Mike German, Assembly leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, has opposed the merger since it was first proposed.

He said: "Not only is the Gwent force, its traditions and community links, being threatened with extinction, but Gwent council taxpayers could face an additional bill of around 20p a day for the privilege.

"The Home Office has refused to listen to common sense so far and has ignored all attempts to reason with them - from the Assembly, from police authorities, and now chief constables. But now the implications for ordinary people are becoming increasingly clear.

"The people of Gwent do not want to lose their local police force. Making them pay more to do so would be adding insult to injury.

"The Home Office must think again. If they cannot be prevented from merging our police, they must at least have the decency to fund it themselves."

Notes:

Police chiefs estimate that by 2012 a single police force would have an annual deficit of £79m. If this were not to mean reductions in service, and without additional Government cash, this would have to be met by council tax payers.

The £71 per household 'average' figure refers to a Band D Council taxpaying household.