Just how much will rebate cost?

YOU have to hand it to Kent’s Crime Commissioner Ann Barnes - she’s not afraid to put her head above the parapet. Still reeling from the blows landed by her enemies over the unfortunate appointment of Paris Brown as Youth Crime Commissioner, Mrs Barnes has already popped up with a new initiative - and one which is likely to be equally as controversial. Mrs Barnes, acknowledging the increasing reliance by her force on the work done by volunteer Special Constables, has come up with the novel idea of giving them a rebate on their Council Tax bills, or at least that part which goes to pay towards our police service. The rebate is said to be worth around £2.72 a week. Many will be surprised that the Specials get no reward beyond a shoe-leather allowance and will think it only just that some acknowledgment is made to these people who in today’s increasingly uncertain and violent climate could actually be putting their lives on the line when they go on duty. Mrs Barnes of course has the logistical problem of trying to attract ever more Specials instead of their more costly fulltime colleagues and no doubt this pat on the back will help. But on the other hand, if the Specials are really as valuable as full-time officers, shouldn’t they get paid a proper allowance for their time spent on duty? The problem in making exceptions for relatively small numbers of people is that the bureaucracy often proves more costly than the benefit. We await with interest to see just how expensive the £2.72 rebate proves in the long term.