Lancashire Police bill for English Defence League protests revealed

Previous figures for individual demonstrations have come from estimates based on police salaries and impact on businesses.

Now the Lancashire Telegraph has obtained figures under the Freedom of Information Act which showed that policing demos in Preston, Blackburn and Blackpool has cost the force an estimated £1.403million.

Police staffing costs and overtime alone for the Blackburn demo in April left the force with a £625,000 bill.

Chief Constable Steve Finnigan has since asked the Government for a contribution to the outlay.

Lancashire Police is facing massive cutbacks as it bids to save £42million over the next four years, with an estimated 800 job losses including 500 officers.

Lancashire Police Authority chairman Malcolm Doherty has said the bill presented a problem as it meant ‘something else wouldn’t get paid for’.

An application by the Lancashire Telegraph for a total cost and breakdown of the EDL costs was initially refused by Lancashire Police.

Despite acknowledging the public interest in disclosing how and where taxpayers’ money was being spent, the force said that to release such details may ‘enable individuals to predict policing levels at future similar events and plan disruption accordingly to reduce their chances of detection’.

Bosses also said ongoing investigations into ‘high-risk’ individuals could be negatively impacted upon by disclosure as it could lead to ‘individuals adapting or modifying their behaviour to attempt to avoid detection’.

But the police released the figures to a member of the public, prompting the Lancashire Telegraph to ask for an internal review of that decision.

Police then agreed to provide the breakdown because of the ‘increased costs arising from these continuing events’.

Preston’s demo in November cost £350,000, and Blackpool’s, in May, cost £400,000.

The figures also reveal more than 40 EDL and UAF members were arrested at protests in Blackburn, Preston and Blackpool.