4:57pm Tuesday 29th July 2008
GOVERNMENT proposals could see the group running Hampshire Constabulary almost quadruple in size.
The county's police authority has 17 members, but Home Office plans could see it rise to 60, the group said.
Cllr Jacqui Rayment, who chairs it, warned that such a large influx could be "unworkable". There would also be no extra money to pay for it, she said.
The proposals surfaced in a Government green paper released last week. Westminster is seeking comments during the summer before detailed plans are produced in the coming months.
Hampshire Police Authority had its first chance to debate the proposals when it met in Winchester on Tuesday (July 22).
Cllr Rayment said she backed 80 per cent of the green paper, especially moves to reduce performance targets and red tape in policing.
However, she said Westminster's desire to increase membership on police authorities without extra funding did not add up.
She said: "We could be looking at up to 60 members on this authority, and that kind of increase of members would be completely unworkable.
"There would be no more money and we are already having to make large savings and efficiencies across the board.
"The members here already have a remit. We have elected members and we work hard for the authority along with our independent members to deliver a good service."
Cllr Adrian Collett, who chairs the authority's finance committee, raised concerns that with more elected members, party politics would take over.
He said: "There are some very worrying things about the structure of police authorities in this green paper, and it would be extremely divisive, and produce an authority that's more likely to argue with itself than deliver policing priorities."
The authority currently has nine councillors from political parties across Hampshire, three magistrates, and five independent members.
They can claim up to £10,071 per year for their services, while more senior members can claim more, including £23,687 for the chairman.
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