davieG Posted 11 July 2012 Posted 11 July 2012 BBC A dispute over payment for policing Leeds United's stadium on match day is being heard in the High Court. The Championship club said it was wrong for West Yorkshire Police to charge it for policing streets and car parks near its Elland Road ground. Such areas were not owned by the club and the Special Police Services charges should not be levied, it said. The club wants the charges to be ruled "illegal" and alleged over-payments to be refunded. Michael Beloff QC told Mr Justice Eady the action was "in the nature of a test case" and the footballing and policing worlds hoped the ruling would provide "powerful guidance" on the issue. Football-related violence He said the club was content to pay for services within the stadium and on land owned or controlled by it, but policing on land not owned or controlled by the club does not constitute special police services. "West Yorkshire Police's insistence on charging Leeds United Football Club for such policing is illegal," he added. John Beggs QC, for the police, told the court the footprint around the stadium is a tightly drawn and strategically determined boundary. He said Leeds United's home matches have one of the worst records for football-related violence in the UK. Mr Beggs said, as matter of law, it is clear the police could charge for policing on public land as long as it was deployed for the protection of those attending the match or for the benefit of the club rather than for the safety of the public at large. He added on non-match days the same area was virtually deserted and was policed by "one police community support officer as part of his wider beat". The hearing continues. Probably because of their over zealous stewarding Isn't this the same for every sporting venue and most large town/city centres on weekend nights?
ozleicester Posted 11 July 2012 Posted 11 July 2012 Isnt it the governments job to ensure the streets are safe. Football clubs should only be responsible for what happens in their grounds-car parks etc.
Fox92 Posted 11 July 2012 Posted 11 July 2012 Isnt it the governments job to ensure the streets are safe. Football clubs should only be responsible for what happens in their grounds-car parks etc. Exactly. But it's another 'job' they fail at.
Guest Basildon Fox Posted 11 July 2012 Posted 11 July 2012 Isnt it the governments job to ensure the streets are safe. Football clubs should only be responsible for what happens in their grounds-car parks etc. Ok. If that is the case then why should the government fund extra policing on a match day? I can guarantee you that if there were not police around the area on a match day at Leeds or Millwall then the chances of getting your head kicked in going to the ground would increase 10 fold. The costs for policing would massively be outweighed by the loss of revenue for clubs when people become too worried to go to matches again as there is trouble around the grounds. To me it is the responsibility of the club to ensure that anyone attending their event can do so safely.
ADK Posted 11 July 2012 Posted 11 July 2012 I don't see why taxpayers should foot the bill for policing of football matches, it's not like the clubs cannot afford it.
purpleronnie Posted 11 July 2012 Posted 11 July 2012 Not sure why we need police at games thesedays....or at least nowhere near as much as police want...we all know why they want such a presence at games....Nice bit of overtime.
davieG Posted 11 July 2012 Author Posted 11 July 2012 Ok. If that is the case then why should the government fund extra policing on a match day? I can guarantee you that if there were not police around the area on a match day at Leeds or Millwall then the chances of getting your head kicked in going to the ground would increase 10 fold. The costs for policing would massively be outweighed by the loss of revenue for clubs when people become too worried to go to matches again as there is trouble around the grounds. To me it is the responsibility of the club to ensure that anyone attending their event can do so safely. I don't see why taxpayers should foot the bill for policing of football matches, it's not like the clubs cannot afford it. So should the pubs pay for all the extra police in town centres controlling the drunks on a weekend night, and every other sporting event?
Voll Blau Posted 11 July 2012 Posted 11 July 2012 Not sure why we need police at games thesedays....or at least nowhere near as much as police want...we all know why they want such a presence at games....Nice bit of overtime. Correct.
Daggers Posted 11 July 2012 Posted 11 July 2012 So should the pubs pay for all the extra police in town centres controlling the drunks on a weekend night, and every other sporting event? Yes, pubs and clubs should pay for the policing and cleaning of town centres at weekends. And contribute to the running of casualty departments. No, pubs and clubs shouldn't pay for the policing of other sporting events.
davieG Posted 24 July 2012 Author Posted 24 July 2012 Leeds United policing costs dispute: Club wins legal case http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-18965193
purpleronnie Posted 24 July 2012 Posted 24 July 2012 I hope this doesn't give even more power to their stewards.
Jon the Hat Posted 24 July 2012 Posted 24 July 2012 Good. Outrageous that football fans have to pay twice for their policing.
ADK Posted 24 July 2012 Posted 24 July 2012 Good. Outrageous that football fans have to pay twice for their policing. Except ticket prices won't come down at all, the money will just go on player salaries and/or transfer fees.
davieG Posted 7 March 2013 Author Posted 7 March 2013 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."
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