2,000 extra police to be drafted in for the event
Christmas. Construction was started back in May, and the site will be converted into around 1,400 new houses following the Games, including social, affordable and private renting.
The overall cost of the project is set to be £350 million, with £165 million raised from central government and £20 million from the West Midlands Combined Authority. However, this
TWO thousand police officers from other parts of the country will be sent to Birmingham to help maintain law and order during the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
They will join 1,000 officers from West Midlands Police who will be assigned to the event.
But the armed forces will also be on stand-by to assist, in case of emergency.
The police operation will be overseen at a new ‘event control suite’ at Park Lane, near the games venue at Alexander Stadium, in Perry Barr.
Plans for policing Birmingham’s 2022 Commonwealth Games were revealed at a meeting of the West Midlands Police Strategic Policing and Crime Board.
The force currently has a team of 19 people planning for the games, though this is expected to grow significantly as the event draws closer.
Police Counter Terrorism Security Coordinators are already at work assessing all Games venues and other locations connected with the event to assess security risks and how they can be reduced.
A paper submitted to the Strategic Policing and Crime Board said: “The integrated planning team now have a high level assessment of the number of police officer and police staff resources that will be required to cover the Games deployments across a four week period, including the pre Games search phase.
“Current estimate is that 3,000 officers will be required, and it is envisaged the 1000 of these will be provided from West Midlands Police, the balance of 2000 coming from mutual aid.”
It warns that this is far fewer police than were deployed for the Commonwealth latest news casts doubt on the final cost of the scheme, with a council spokesperson saying: “The redevelopment of Perry Barr and the surrounding area remains one of the council’s most exciting and highest priority projects which will lead to major benefits for existing and future residents.
“Like all major construction projects, it is continually monitored and
Games in Glasgow in 2014 or in the Gold Coast in 2018, but states that Assistant Chief Constable Chris Johnson, the officer in charge, “is confident that the plan delivers the right level of resources with the right training and accreditation.”
It also states: “There will also be a contingency reserve of personnel from the Armed Services assigned to the Games.
“The West Midlands Police planning team are working very closely with their counterparts in the Ministry of Defence to develop these plans.”
The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games will take place between July 27 and August 7.
It will be the biggest sporting and cultural event ever held in the city, featuring thousands of world-class athletes, over a million spectators and an estimated global TV audience of 1.5 billion.
With an estimated global audience of 1.5 billion people, the Government and the games organisers say Birmingham 2022 will boost the West Midlands region and promote Britain across the Commonwealth as we leave the EU.
The evidence from previous host cities demonstrates the significant benefits of staging the Games, they say. Gold Coast 2018 Games is expected to have delivered a £1.3 billion boost to the Queensland economy. reviewed to ensure it in line with relevant timescales and costs.
“It has become apparent that programme schedule and cost targets face challenges due to local market conditions and indicative pricing from the potential main contractors for the residential construction element of the programme have shown financial pressures compared with is progressing goals, targets,