Police push for money to go to officers, not libraries

1:00pm Wednesday 13th February 2013 in News

THAMES Valley Police (TVP) has puzzled campaigners by calling for libraries to receive less money from housing development deals.

Force chiefs said libraries should not get cash as part of “section 106” deals between developers and West Oxfordshire District Council.

They want money to go on infrastructure improvements such as roads and employing extra police officers.

Simon Dackombe, Thames Valley’s strategic planner, objected to the council’s bid to class libraries as infrastructure.

He said: “Whilst acknowledging the function that libraries serve, TVP does not consider that their function and provision should be specifically identified over and above other functions and infrastructure, including policing.”

The issue is part of a consultation on the council’s core strategy, a blueprint for where new estates will go by 2029.

Cash will also come from the new Community Infrastructure Levy, which charges developers per square metre of new development.

It says: “Provision must be made for the facilities and services that are essential for growth such as schools, roads, libraries and open space. Without appropriate investment in new and enhanced infrastructure, existing services will come under pressure and may be unable to cope.”

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Judith Wardle, former co-ordinator of the Save Oxfordshire Libraries campaign, said: “I am puzzled as to why Thames Valley Police should single out libraries as not requiring developer money. Libraries are one essential element of community developments and there are places, including West Oxfordshire, where libraries are housed in very old buildings, and if there is the opportunity to use section 106 funds for enhancing library provision that is good for communities anywhere.”

Comments (5)

3:31pm Wed 13 Feb 13

xjohnx says...

Seems to me that the more kids you have borrowing books and reading, the less kids you are likely to have vandalising the area and turning to crime.

Or we could buy the police more tazers instead, that might keep the vandals at bay.

PS.
Do you trust the police as much now as you used to? Its a pity but I don't. I wish I did.
Seems to me that the more kids you have borrowing books and reading, the less kids you are likely to have vandalising the area and turning to crime. Or we could buy the police more tazers instead, that might keep the vandals at bay. PS. Do you trust the police as much now as you used to? Its a pity but I don't. I wish I did. xjohnx

4:30pm Wed 13 Feb 13

Watch your back says...

The Police in general and every officer should remember that they are servants of the public not their masters! Start Policing and stop bossing then maybe us public may respect you a little more.
The Police in general and every officer should remember that they are servants of the public not their masters! Start Policing and stop bossing then maybe us public may respect you a little more. Watch your back

6:07pm Wed 13 Feb 13

Alfie Nokes says...

xjohnx wrote:
Seems to me that the more kids you have borrowing books and reading, the less kids you are likely to have vandalising the area and turning to crime.

Or we could buy the police more tazers instead, that might keep the vandals at bay.

PS.
Do you trust the police as much now as you used to? Its a pity but I don't. I wish I did.
xjohnx says... PS. Do you trust the police as much now as you used to? Its a pity but I don't. I wish I did.

Certainly not, but that's not necessarily all, or even mostly, their fault.

It is obvious to anyone who has been watching that a variety of hostile hands are on the tillers of too many aspects of society, police included, some of them working in concert, others with their own agenda.

Even if we believed we must sacrifice books for cops, would we not just get more 'training' to accept more and more revenue generating policy enforcement agents in lieu of constables upholding the law of the land (I am lead to believe that new officers are no longer required to take even that basic oath of office).

It is both hard and foolish to have trust in such circumstances.
[quote][p][bold]xjohnx[/bold] wrote: Seems to me that the more kids you have borrowing books and reading, the less kids you are likely to have vandalising the area and turning to crime. Or we could buy the police more tazers instead, that might keep the vandals at bay. PS. Do you trust the police as much now as you used to? Its a pity but I don't. I wish I did.[/p][/quote]xjohnx says... PS. Do you trust the police as much now as you used to? Its a pity but I don't. I wish I did. Certainly not, but that's not necessarily all, or even mostly, their fault. It is obvious to anyone who has been watching that a variety of hostile hands are on the tillers of too many aspects of society, police included, some of them working in concert, others with their own agenda. Even if we believed we must sacrifice books for cops, would we not just get more 'training' to accept more and more revenue generating policy enforcement agents in lieu of constables upholding the law of the land (I am lead to believe that new officers are no longer required to take even that basic oath of office). It is both hard and foolish to have trust in such circumstances. Alfie Nokes

6:24pm Wed 13 Feb 13

Trevor Craig says...

Should the police even be allowed to lobby against other parts of the public sector like this? It should be up to the will of the electorate. The libraries budget is tiny compared to that of TVP, perhaps the libraries should start pitching for bits of the police services budget. I the first comment by xjohnx is spot on.
Should the police even be allowed to lobby against other parts of the public sector like this? It should be up to the will of the electorate. The libraries budget is tiny compared to that of TVP, perhaps the libraries should start pitching for bits of the police services budget. I the first comment by xjohnx is spot on. Trevor Craig

5:35pm Thu 14 Feb 13

JanetJ says...

Watch your back wrote:
The Police in general and every officer should remember that they are servants of the public not their masters! Start Policing and stop bossing then maybe us public may respect you a little more.
I don't suppose the person referred to in the article speaking on behalf of TVP has the faintest idea what a real police officer does - there aren't there any left are there?
[quote][p][bold]Watch your back[/bold] wrote: The Police in general and every officer should remember that they are servants of the public not their masters! Start Policing and stop bossing then maybe us public may respect you a little more.[/p][/quote]I don't suppose the person referred to in the article speaking on behalf of TVP has the faintest idea what a real police officer does - there aren't there any left are there? JanetJ

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