Hertfordshire: Extra houses but will there be extra police?

3.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 25th Sep 2006

The Labour Government's push to increase the number of houses in Hertfordshire and the East of England looks like it won't be matched by investments in policing and infrastructure, members of the Police Authority have been told.

Liberal Democrat members of the Police Authority are concerned that despite 83,200 extra houses, equating to a likely minimum 183,872 people, there is currently little emphasis on designing out crime or funding new police stations.

Liberal Democrat Councillor and Authority Member Allan Witherick said: 'We already have concerns with custody capacity, but the developments proposed add the equivalent of one and a half new districts to the county. Without proper investment in new police stations and the constabulary, it will be difficult to police the area."

Cllr Michael Colne, who also sits on the Authority, added: 'We are doing our best to keep both current and future Hertfordshire residents safe, but unless the Labour Government wakes up and recognises our concerns we could find ourselves in a sea of houses without suitable police stations, hospitals or schools.'

ENDS