Police representative says '˜common sense prevails' over budget

Hampshire Police Federation chairman John Apter said the police and crime panel had listened to the both his and the public’s concerns about the crime commissioner’s office costs.

Mr Apter, who spoke out over the budget, said: ‘I’m grateful that the police and crime panel have listened to not only my concerns but the concerns of members of the public who have demanded that any increase in council tax must be spent on frontline policing.

‘Hampshire Constabulary are in a difficult place financially so it would be wholly inappropriate for the police and crime commissioner to have used any of the increase in council tax to pay for extra staff for his own office, which is why I thank the police and crime panel for doing what the public and my colleagues would expect them to do, which is to ensure common sense prevails.’