RSA report on future of policing sets out the real challenges now facing the Met

Caroline Pidgeon, Leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, commenting on the "Safer Together" report, written by the RSA, which sets out immense budget pressures facing the Metropolitan Police Service in future years, said:

"I welcome this report, as it sets out very clearly the challenges the Metropolitan Police Service now faces.

"Up until now the immense budget pressures facing the Met have been cushioned by the sale of buildings and land. However the harsh reality is that this windfall will not last long in helping to protect our police service.

"If we are serious about protecting community policing and also ensuring that the Met has adequate resources for vital investigative work such as child sexual offences and counter terrorism, we have to accept that new sources of funding are needed.

"The Met will have to start looking carefully at what it funds, including for example policing outside football games of premiership clubs and the cost of operations such as Julian Assange at the Ecuadorian Embassy.

"And if we want London to remain a safe city, then it may be that Council Tax will need to rise to pay for neighbourhood policing.

"If there is a budget gap then a few pounds on council tax bills is a price worth paying for keeping London safe."