£1.8m matchday policing bill for Stoke City and Port Vale
STOKE City and Port Vale have forked out more than £1.8 million over the past five years for matchday policing.
New figures show the Premier League Potters face the biggest charges from Staffordshire Police, with an average annual bill of £311,796 for officers to patrol inside and around the Britannia Stadium.
But Port Vale were hit with costs of £276,732 between 2007/08 and 2011/12 – on average £55,000 a season – despite the club spending four of the past five years in the bottom tier of the Football League.
The Valiants' Staffordshire neighbours, Burton Albion, who were promoted to League Two in 2008/09, paid out £42,239 over the same time and the Burslem club's average attendance was just 1,600 higher.
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Figures also show Stoke City are now paying much less for policing after hiring more of its own stewards, reducing the annual bill from £410,000 in 2009/10 to £279,000 in 2011/12.
The level of policing is based on comprehensive risk assessments and is used to cover staffing, overtime and vehicle costs.
Burslem Park councillor Joy Garner, a Staffordshire Police authority member, said: "Vale have been up and down the leagues over the years and they've had a chance to make a few more enemies. I don't know if Burton have the same issues with other teams.
"It's right that questions are asked because of the scale of the difference. But Vale don't have a big police presence at games."
There has been a long-running debate over who should pick up the bill for policing football matches.
The Association of Chief Police Officers believes clubs should pay more.
But the Football League and Premier League say professional football contributes £1 billion in taxes and charges mean fans are 'paying twice'.
Both Stoke City and Port Vale declined to comment today.
Superintendent Pete Owen, who has responsibility for football within Staffordshire Police, said: "At the start of the season, we sit down with each club and make a decision on what police resources are required for each fixture.
"We base that on the history of the opposition club and the behaviour of both sets of supporters."
He revealed 17 fixtures at Vale Park were played out with no police presence.
Pete Williams, chairman of Port Vale Supporters' Club, questioned the police's figures for last season, saying he had seen information which suggested a much higher overall bill.
And he believes Vale are paying too much for policing.
He said: "There was one time when the policing bill for Vale was higher than for Chelsea, which is just ludicrous.
"No wonder clubs are struggling if they're having to pay this much."
Comments
by camband
Tuesday, June 12 2012, 8:58AM
“@ Broadback
Quote: '..I suspect that if fans were well behaved the costs would be lower on even non-existant." unquote.
Same with the roads.... If drivers were well behaved, they (the sleeping policemen) would be wakened, get up -and walk off back to the station.
Some chance of that. It's the same old story -the majority pay for the negativism of the minority.”
by johnwhite18
Monday, June 11 2012, 8:07PM
“Fast buck for the old bill again”
by bigmouth666
Monday, June 11 2012, 12:43PM
“If you stage an event that needs policing, you pay the going rate set by the police force.”
by mole10
Monday, June 11 2012, 12:35PM
“Stoke City player held in murder inquiry?”
by Broadback
Monday, June 11 2012, 11:51AM
“I am all for football clubs, indeed any event having to pay for policing. If the clubs can afford the ridiculous pay that footballers get they can certainly afford the police costs. I suspect that if fans were well behaved the costs would be lower on even non-existant.”
by laythevale
Monday, June 11 2012, 11:24AM
“The costs to Vale appear to be for just 6 matches. This implies that if there are people to fight the home fans need to be policed. The problem I have with this is that it is the same old crew giving it the big one on Hamil Road every time and the police just watch them, week after week. Also, the home fans are allowed to walk straight out of the railway paddock into the away fans car park. This has gone on for decades. It never changes. Makes you think Vale Park is a training ground for Staffs police crowd control unit. They ought to go up to Glasgow and see how Old Firm matches are policed with a fraction of the man power.
The cost to the Glasgow clubs for the 7 derbies in 2010-11 was £300,000. If there were 60,000 at each game, that's 70p per fan. If Vale paid £55,000 for 6 games with no more than 5,000 at each match, then that's around £1.85 per fan. Policing costs away from the ground get charged to the taxpayer. In the Rangers-Celtic scenario, this added another £2.1 million over the 7 games!!
In fairness, we ought to see the overall policing costs for Vale's away matches at Burton, Crewe, Macc, Shrewsbury. I bet we contribute a disproportionate amount to THEIR policing bill. I suspect that we actually pay less than we should for the actual policing costs we incur, home and away.”
by stgeorge1st
Monday, June 11 2012, 10:25AM
“yes pete , you are correct . the figure which vale paid at the time was in excess of that paid by chelsea according to the bbc's standing room only programme.
as for the current amount paid by the club well that is still a ridiculous figure . the vast majority of clubs at this level bring less than 300 fans per match , so how can those figures be justified?”
by oliver3742
Monday, June 11 2012, 9:53AM
“Once again Pete 'rent a quote' Williams has seen other figures, whereabouts exactly and how much more? As a lifelong Vale supporter I am intrigued in the justification in these high charges.”