Notts police's £700,000 bill for power station protest operation
More than 200 officers swooped on the Iona School in Sneinton in April amid claims climate change protestors there posed a "serious threat" to Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station.
Police from Notts, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Staffordshire and British Transport Police were involved in the arrests shortly after midnight on April 13.
None of the 114 people arrested have so far been charged with an offence following the controversial operation.
No details of the cost of Operation Aeroscope have been disclosed to date by the force. But papers presented to the Notts Police Authority reveal how £700,000 surplus from Notts Police's budget for 2008/9 could go towards the cost of the operation.
Attempts will be made to claim the money back from the Home Office, but it's feared the cost could end up being borne by the Notts force.
Alan Street, independent member and chairman of Notts Police Authority's performance committee, said: "The money will meet the entire cost of the operation and any legal proceedings.
"We do not want to be found with a bill in October, November or December and have to use money meant for frontline policing."
The police operation was criticised at the time as the protesters were camped at the school, but had not yet started any demonstration.
They were said to be planning a "direct action" protest against global warming at Ratcliffe-on-Soar.
In a parliamentary written question, Nottingham South MP Alan Simpson asked the Government the cost to the public purse of the operation at the Iona School, and whether there was to be a charge to the public purse for the school's repairs and refurbishment "as a consequence of the demonstration".
Mr Simpson also asked about charges against individuals, and what reports Home Secretary Jacqui Smith had received on whether demonstrators forced their way into the main school rather than adjacent units.
In his written answer to Mr Simpson on May 6, Vernon Coaker, Minister of State for Policing, Crime and Security and MP for Gedling, said: "I cannot comment on an ongoing investigation. The costs relating to a police operation is a matter for the chief officer of the force concerned.
"The police have a duty to facilitate peaceful protest, but balanced against this is their duty to prevent the commission of offences."
The Post asked Notts Police for a full breakdown of the cost of Operation Aeroscope. This included the cost of officer overtime, as the arrests of the alleged climate change protestors was on a Bank Holiday Monday, the cost of holding the alleged protestors in custody and the cost of vehicles and equipment used by officers involved.
The force said they were not in a position to disclose the information. The Post has since submitted a formal request to the force under the Freedom of Information Act.
Ann Williams, Director of Finance for Notts Police, added: "We are still assessing the cost of the major operational incident as it remains an ongoing investigation. This report shows we are being prudent, and if there is any net underspend, it will be earmarked to pay for the operation if necessary."
guy.woodford@nottinghameveningpost.co.uk
Iona School
