Cllr Iain Lindley's Diary

Iain Dale has an interesting post about the policing of Party Conferences. The costs do seem to be obscene, and I’m not looking forward to most of City Centre Manchester being fenced off again – as happened two years ago when the Labour Conference last came to town. Of more concern to local residents, however, is the effect that these Conferences have on local policing.

When Manchester last held a major political Conference (the aforementioned Labour Conference in September 2006) I asked in Council about the effect the Conference policing would have on neighbourhood policing. I was assured that it would not have an impact – only for many of our officers (including the neighbourhood inspector) to be dragged into Manchester to preside over the Conference. I remember we had a community meeting that at which the police were due to give an update to local residents and not one officer was available to attend even for half an hour to talk to residents. The assurances were worthless and residents lost their local police officers to fortress MICC. Definitely a good week to be a burglar.

I hope things are better planned for the Labour Conference this year and of course the Conservative Conference in autumn 2009.