West Yorkshire Police lose football costs appeal case

Henry Irving

Significant ruling that could impact on policing and costs at other clubs

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-21699007

West Yorkshire Police has lost its appeal case over the costs of policing matches at Leeds United's Elland Road stadium.

The force was seeking to overturn a previous court ruling that the club was not responsible for paying for policing streets and car parks near the ground.

But the Court of Appeal in London rejected the police's claim.

The decision means that the force will have to repay about £1m to Leeds United for three years worth of policing fees.
'Extended footprint'

The court heard that it cost West Yorkshire police about £350,000 a season to provide policing for Leeds United's home games.

During the appeal hearing, West Yorkshire Police's lawyer argued that the area required no policing whatsoever on non-match-days, with one community support officer patrolling the entire area a few times a day as part of a larger beat. Yet, on match-days, numerous officers were required.

However, the Master of the Rolls Lord Dyson, sitting with Lord Justice Moore-Bick and Lord Justice McCombe, said: "The policing of the extended footprint on match-days is provided in order to maintain law and order and protect life and property in a public place.

"None of the arguments advanced on behalf of West Yorkshire Police persuades me that the law and order services provided by them in the extended footprint are different in principle from the law and order services that they provide in any other public place."

Chris_from_Sidcup

So what happens if WYP say "we're not policing your game with Millwall/Cardiff/Huddersfield/Sheff Weds etc etc" because it will cost us too much?

randy andy

You'd hope that the police would finally realise that they are public servants. The game would either go ahead, with residents suing the police for deliberately and maliciously removing officers from the are, or the HSE would prevent the game going ahead, with either the HSE fining the police, or the club suing them.

The police simply can't decide unilaterally to police or not police an area. They also can't go an charge football clubs, whilst not charging pubs, clubs, shops on sales days, rugby/cricket clubs, etc. It's an all or none thing. Everybody at the game will have already paid for the police via taxation, the police can't then go and double dip, by charging them again (which is essentially what they are doing by charging the club, that cost has to be passed on).

man_at_milletts

Does this mean a legal precedent whereby we see other clubs claiming back police costs?

richie8

You wouldn't get all those hard men giving it large behind a wall of OB!!!

PragueAddick

randy andy said:

You'd hope that the police would finally realise that they are public servants. The game would either go ahead, with residents suing the police for deliberately and maliciously removing officers from the are, or the HSE would prevent the game going ahead, with either the HSE fining the police, or the club suing them.

The police simply can't decide unilaterally to police or not police an area. They also can't go an charge football clubs, whilst not charging pubs, clubs, shops on sales days, rugby/cricket clubs, etc. It's an all or none thing. Everybody at the game will have already paid for the police via taxation, the police can't then go and double dip, by charging them again (which is essentially what they are doing by charging the club, that cost has to be passed on).

Absolutely right.

And the next step is to tell the police to do one when they try to mess around with kick off times to suit themselves. e.g. Watford away

paulbaconsarnie

Do we dial 999 or 101 when the spanners start dismantling the jimmy south stand?

Bournemouth Addick

randy andy said:

You'd hope that the police would finally realise that they are public servants. The game would either go ahead, with residents suing the police for deliberately and maliciously removing officers from the are, or the HSE would prevent the game going ahead, with either the HSE fining the police, or the club suing them.

The police simply can't decide unilaterally to police or not police an area. They also can't go an charge football clubs, whilst not charging pubs, clubs, shops on sales days, rugby/cricket clubs, etc. It's an all or none thing. Everybody at the game will have already paid for the police via taxation, the police can't then go and double dip, by charging them again (which is essentially what they are doing by charging the club, that cost has to be passed on).

In a perfect world there would no need to charge extra on top of course but, despite promises to the contrary, front line policing budgets are being cut dramatically, meaning the money's not there to pay for regular crowd control measures without either passing those costs on or making savings elsewhere.

I think what this will lead to is more games being moved to lower the risk & accomodate lower levels of policing and even more 'bubble games' potentially.

We know for a fact that alcohol plays a large part in trouble at football and in light of this you might also find retaining the clubs and nearby pubs license in it's current form a bit trickier than it has been as they will also use the licensing regime to limit the risks of disorder.

Careful what you wish for is what I'm saying...

redman

I must admit I always thought this was the case. Clubs have to pay inside the ground but not outside. This always used to be the case anyway

man_at_milletts

I would have thought one of the important aspects coming out of this is exactly how much power the local police have in determining whether a game goes ahead or not. There have been plenty of fixtures moved 'on police advice', but how much weight does this advice carry?
I'm sure there are others on this forum more knowledgeable on the subject.

I'd hate to see the police determining the fixture list.