§ 18. Major Conantasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that, as a result of amalgamating the Leicestershire and Rutland police forces, the ratepayers of Rutland will have to pay for the police over £2,000 per annum more than before the amalgamation of the forces; and whether he will amend the financial provisions of the scheme.
§ Mr. EdeI have received representations to this effect from the Rutland County Council. The financial provisions of the scheme of amalgamation were agreed by the constituent authorities, but I am asking the combined police authority whether they have any proposals to make, in the light of these representations, for the amendment of the financial arrangements. If any such proposals are made to me I will give them sympathetic consideration.
§ Major ConantIn view of the obvious injustice of the ratepayers of Rutland having to subsidise those of Leicestershire, in the absence of any agreed proposal being put forward would the right hon. Gentleman consider amending this scheme in a way which would keep the finances of the two counties quite 545 separate, as, for instance, by having a joint chief constable instead of amalgamated forces?
§ Mr. EdeI think we had better await the result of the investigation by the newly constituted joint police authority.