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Police chiefs’ group spent £1.6m on Westminster flats
Felix Allen and Justin Davenport22 Feb 2010
Britain's most powerful police organisation was criticised today after it spent £1.6 million on up to 80 flats in central London for officers fighting terrorism.
The Association of Chief Police Officers used the money to lease flats in Westminster last year. It came from an annual £33 million grant provided to Acpo by the Home Office to fund the national counter-terrorism strategy.
Patrick Mercer, a former Tory homeland security spokesman, said: “Every penny allocated to counter-terrorism is precious. It therefore disappoints me taxpayers' money is being used in this way.”
One source told the Mail on Sunday the flats were “all over Westminster, like an address book for the well-heeled”.
But Acpo insiders said the average cost of renting the properties was about £300 a week. “They are certainly not luxurious,” one added.
Met Assistant Commissioner John Yates, in overall charge of the Acpo anti-terror strategy, said the flats were rented after 9/11 for specialists from across Britain: “These staff are key to the work by police in protecting the public from the very serious threat.”
He said Acpo had reviewed the policy and the number of flats was being reduced.
Reader views (3)
20k per flat? umm... that's pretty cheap..cheaper than hotels... whats the problem?
- Sense, london, 22/02/2010 18:27
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Should buy the flats now after all can always be sold on later, am sure that London Regional Assemby already have this covered. After all they will be the real Political Power after the next election when the House of Commons closes after being deemed irrelevant by the EU.
- Bill, Hove Sus~sex, 22/02/2010 13:40
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No No.... There's absolutely no waste in the Public Sector...
Here we go again... another £3m inquiry to find no-one is going to be held responsible...
- Heathrow Please..., London, 22/02/2010 12:02
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