A PRESTON councillor has slammed proposals by Lancashire police chiefs to enlist a private security firm to protect their headquarters in Hutton -- at a cost of £450,000 to council taxpayers.

Councillor Joe Fitzgerald says the cash should be spent on other resources in the town, including extra policing on the streets, in order to combat juvenile crime.

The Larches and Savick ward councillor claims there are police patrols in troublesome spots around the town where youth behaviour has got out of hand.

He said: "I speak not only for my victimised constituents of Larches and Savick but for the whole town suffering as a result of poor police performances to reduce the level of crime.

"The police need to consider what's more important, spending the money on protecting themselves, or protecting the taxpayer who need to see that they can feel protected when they step out of their front doors."

Now the independent councillor has challenge Police Authority chiefs to visit the poorer policed estates in Preston before spending cash on their own HQ building.

A spokesperson for Lancashire Police said: "The security function at headquarters is not a core policing service.

"The force is currently offering this function to tender to see if providing the service internally is best value for the constabulary in terms of costs and quality of service.

"The outsourcing of this type of security function has been successfully achieved by several other police forces. In Lancashire this function is currently carried out by a team of seven members of support staff."