GREATER MANCHESTER POLICE FORCE'S £3.1 MILLION HIRE CAR BILL

1.20.00pm GMT Mon 4th Jan 2010

Greater Manchester Police Force has spent £3.1 million over the last five years on hire vehicles, according to figures uncovered by Hazel Grove MP Andrew Stunell.

The figures, obtained by Mr Stunell under the Freedom of Information Act, show that Greater Manchester Police have been spending roughly £500,000 per year on hire cars, including £770,000 last year, amounting to a total of £3.1 million over the last five years. In total, the five police forces in the North West have spent £12.1 million, with spending rising every year, from £2.2 million in 2004/05 to £2.8 million in 2008/09, at a rate of £6,500 per day.

Now Mr Stunell is calling for a rethink from the five forces on their hire vehicle policy.

Commenting, Mr Stunell said:

"With the current economic climate, hard-working families across the region are tightening their belts, yet the cost to the taxpayer of funding police hire cars is soaring year-on-year. This spending will make no sense to the public, and is surely unsustainable.

"Given that police budgets are under considerable pressure, it seems unnecessarily lavish to be spending over £6,000 a week in the North West on hire cars.

"Some use of hire cars is inevitable, but police forces seriously have to ask themselves if they are getting value for taxpayers' money. Hiring cars at appropriate times can provide savings for forces, but if they are being hired while police cars are not in use, it is simply a waste of money.

"I would strongly urge local forces to get a grip on the amounts they are spending on hire vehicles, and make this a top target for savings next year."

ENDS