Independent PCC candidate Colin Skelton slams Wilts Police PFI deal

Colin Skelton, an independent

candidate for the role of Police and Crime Commissioner for Wiltshire, has

criticised the Wiltshire Police Authority for pushing ahead with a £129m

private finance Initiative (PFI) deal with Blue Light partnerships and Avon and

Somerset Police that is unnecessary and could cripple the force financially in

the coming years. Wiltshire Police want to sign up to share firearms training

facilities with Avon and Somerset Police at Portishead, in Somerset.

It is for a new PCC to agree to this

deal.

Wiltshire Police would sign up to a

£1.2m a year, 25 year long contract to share the training facilities.

Colin Skelton said "Wiltshire Police

already have good firearms training facilities in Devizes and Dinton. The

proposed training site is two hours away and makes no financial, economic or

practical sense".

Colin continued "In addition it will

cost £1.2m every year, I would not sign this PFI deal and I would use that

money, which is in the current budget, to recruit half of my planned 300 new

Police Officers"

Colin said "The decision to push

ahead with this deal, I believe, is politically motivated, Conservative policy

is to use PFI deals. PFI deals have been disastrous for the NHS and schools,

saddling organisations with unmanageable debt. If the intention was to share

facilities, the Police Authority should have approached Thames Valley police

who have a world class firearms training facility at Sulhamstead,

this would have cost a fraction of the PFI deal cost and been closer"

Colin has produced a

detailed Policing manifesto and budget for Wiltshire which can be downloaded

from his campaign website at www.skelton4wiltspcc.co.uk