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Conference to bring in £2.5m
The Liberal Democrat party conference taking place in Sheffield in March is expected to generate £2.5 million for the city economy, the council’s chief executive said today.
But the benefits to the economy could be outweighed by the bill for the huge policing operation which has seen all South Yorkshire Police officers’ leave cancelled and could cost between £500,000 and £2m.
Since the booking was taken in 2008 the party’s profile has soared after Sheffield MP Nick Clegg became deputy prime minister when he formed the coalition government with the Conservatives.
But unpopular public sector cuts which has seen violent demonstrations, particularly in relation to university tuition fees, has meant South Yorskhire Police are having to plan for “all eventualities”.
A six-foot security fence will be erected around City Hall and armed police officers will also be on duty.
Police will patrol on horseback, motorcycles and bikes as well as on foot.
At a pre-conference briefing at the City Hall - the main conference venue - council chief executive John Mothersole said: “I’m delighted the Lib Dem party conference is coming to Sheffield, delighted because it’s a big conference worth £2.5m to our local economy.
“It’s clearly bigger in profile than we expected when we took the booking, which we took on a commercial basis.
“If you asked me in hindsight, ‘do I wish it wasn’t coming to Sheffield?’, my answer would be emphatically ‘no’. Sheffield is the fourth largest city in England and it has to behave like it.
“This conference is about jobs and the local economy.
“It happens to be a party political conference but Sheffield will demonstrate it can handle these big events.”
Up to 1,800 delegates are expected from Friday March 11 to Sunday March 13.
Superintendent Martin Scothern, who is leading the police operation, said: “We are aware of the intention of some groups to protest, however, at this time we have no specific information that suggests the protests will be anything other than peaceful.
“Police have a positive duty to protect the democratic rights of UK citizens to peacefully protest, while balancing the community rights of residents and the public.”
Supt Scothern said police leave had been cancelled and extra officers would be drafted in from West Yorkshire, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.
Supt Scothern said officers would only wear riot gear if necessary.
He added containment tactics - or “kettling” - where protestors are kept within a limited area - would be a ‘last resort’.
Police are expecting between 2,500 and 3,000 protestors but the number could be much bigger.
The conference will be most heavily policed for 24 hours from Saturday to Sunday, when there will be 1,000 officers on duty
Supt Scothern said the cost of policing is expected to be between £500,000 and £2m and would be paid for out of reserves.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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Comments
There are 9 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
swfc
Thursday, February 24, 2011 at 01:29 AMhorseman of the apocalypse Libya? nothing like we give idiots money to live here anyway, I am looking at syp to show why they are the best force in the country at controling people out to make trouble, any group that is planning to bring trouble and protest to this should be maid to pay for the police as they do with football, I am sure you question all of the people who are on the demos they will all give the same answer, if question them further and ask if the previous govermant have any hand in the problems and what is the country going to be like in 5 years they will then have to answer for them selfs and you will get 3000 diffrent answers as they will have no knowledge of the true facts, if you gave them another solution to our money problems like opt out of the eu no money,housing,healthcare,education,support centres, advice lines infact no money or free help to any non uk passport holders then you will have the same people protesting about the cuts to them, protesting for protesting , why not help the govermant why not give it a chance? the pounds getting stronger the housing market has stopped droping, all things that show they have got somthing correct not like the free fall give it all away we was doing for the last 10 years or so! nothing is free in this life, so now we are paying for a bad period of rule in the uk with war and the neer loss of the uk pound, we now have to pay for all of that...
serendipity
Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at 10:02 PMThe huge police bill stems from the enormous overtime payments they receive. In a recent case where they had to search some woods for bomb making equipment hidden by Islamic terrorists (are there any other type?) the bill for 3 days overtime was £2 million.
conradpoons
Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at 12:28 PMWaywoodwind, was that meant in a negative way or are you looking forward to some freash meat?
Sir Taxedalot
Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at 10:28 AMThe extent of the policing bill will depend on the behaviour of the protestors. I don't want to be left paying a big bill because a few nasty, spiteful idiots can't behave themselves.
Derek.Hutchinson
Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at 10:27 AM"“Police have a positive duty to protect the democratic rights of UK citizens to peacefully protest, while balancing the community rights of residents and the public.” Yes! thats why they are putting 6 foot fencing and having armed police present so that they can protect the peoples democratic rights! What a lot of tosh, if the police or Lib Dems fear that there is a need to have armed police present then they should go have their conference somewhere else preferably somewhere in the outer Hebrides.
Derek.Hutchinson
Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at 10:19 AM2.5 million income out of what? These people get their expences from the taxpayer so I doubt if any of this income to be generated will be from anyone elses pockets but the taxpayer. What they should say is that this conference is going to cost the taxpayer 2.5 million plus 2 million for security!
Woodseats Sammy
Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at 10:05 AMThe income generated will be from the protestors alone! Never mind all the hidden income spent "pleasure seeking" by delegates ;)
waywoodwind
Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at 10:01 AMgay bars will be busy
horseman of the apocalypse
Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at 09:44 AM2.5 million in for hotels, bars, restaurants, how much out in costs to taxpayers and council tax payers for security and policing and cleaning up after the riots Mothersole you muppet. PS police asking for appropriate adults to be available as they are planning to arrest lots of kids if the dare to protest! Libya anyone?
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