The Millennium Stadium’s manager has criticised South Wales Police’s chief constable for saying she will charge event promoters full policing costs.
Gerry Toms said the stadium will refuse to pay because it is only obliged to pay for policing inside the ground. Chief constable Barbara Wilding said the practice of charging organisers was approved in England in 2005 and she was bringing the force into line. She said it is facing a £9m funding gap this year and up to £14m next year. Ms Wilding said the force would consider the abatement of charges for charity or smaller scale community events. There was a delay in the policy being implemented in south Wales because of a pending court case which had now been resolved, she said.
The force said it receives no financial assistance from the assembly government in recognition of it serving a capital city, unlike in Scotland where the Lothian and Borders Police receives a grant from the Scottish government for policing Edinburgh.