Agenda item

Report of the Commissioner.

The Committee considered a report of the Commissioner setting out information concerning the demand for and cost of providing policing services to the five vehicular and pedestrian bridges crossing the River Thames in the City of London.

Members noted that Bridge House Estates was a charity responsible for the upkeep of the Bridges and, therefore, if funding was being sought from this source, it was vital that it was within the Charitable Objects of the charity.

Members discussed the proposals for additional funding from Bridge House Estates and agreed that the additional funding for Counter Terrorism deployments on the Bridges and for patrol and response to calls on the Bridges were likely to be within the Charitable Objects of Bridge House Estates.

However, Members agreed that the additional funding for a Marine Support Unit Constable was not likely to be considered to be within the Charitable Objects and therefore agreed that this funding should be removed from the funding request to Bridge House Estates.

Members noted that, given that the additional funding was related to staff costs, the funding should be increase in future years in line with pay increases.

RESOLVED – That:

a)    the report be noted; and

b)    that approval be given to a formal approach being made to the Bridge House Estate for annual funding of £214,000, to cover the cost of policing services on the five City Bridges, with increases in future years to account for pay increases.