London's profit-making events to be charged policing costs

Organisers of all profit-making events in London will be pursued for the full policing costs, including overtime, the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) has announced today.

However, under current regulations, football clubs remain exempt for the "huge cost of policing" outside their grounds on match days. However, the MPA has said that it would be continuing discussions with the football associations to reduce costs as much as possible.

The MPA made its announcement today after accepting the recommendations of a review team that looked at the Met's charging policy for the hundreds of commercial events held in the capital every year.

It concluded that there was "too much uncertainty" over which events were billed for the cost of policing them and that there should be a more consistent approach to charging organisers who "make money large sums of money while police budgets are squeezed".

But the MPA accepted the team's recommendation that there would be no charging for policing community and charitable events because of the contribution made to community life within London.

MPA member Richard Sumray, who chaired the review, said: "It is important that there is a consistent application of the policy to charge for policing of commercial events on a full cost recovery basis in accordance with current statutory powers.

He added: "We are also looking closely at how the new licensing laws will impact on charging of pubs and clubs, although we are mindful that some events held at clubs are for the benefit of the community."

(gmcg)