A RETIRED chief superintendent turned Ryedale district councillor has criticised the management of the region's police force over the impending council tax increase to pay for services.

Derwent ward councillor David Clarkson, who retired from West Yorkshire Police in 1993 after 36 years, has called for North Yorkshire Police Authority to act like a business and save money by sharing resources.

"The biggest complaint I had from constituents was about the 76 per cent increase in police revenue - they were absolutely livid about it.

"And here we are again facing a 34p a week rise," said Coun Clarkson.

"The police service does not generate an income. All they do is spend. Chief Constable Della Cannings is proposing to run the police as a business, so it will have to act like a business and merge services. "They can't just start stinging us for money. It just incenses me."

County councillor David Lloyd-Williams, a member of the police authority, said the force was beginning to share resources, and gave the example of the police point in the library at Kirkbymoorside.

"I can understand where Coun Clarkson is coming from," said Coun Lloyd-Williams.

"Raising money is something that we are struggling with. It has got to be done sensibly.

"We can't go into partnership with any old company because people will question what the other party are getting from the police for their money.

"The police are having to spend a lot of money to get the best quality communications equipment.

"A lot of police communication tends to be confidential so could not be shared. There is scope for inter-communication between the services and that's something that we're looking at."

Coun Lloyd-Williams said police funding came from several sources, including Government grants, income from investments, and then the shortfall was made up by a precept on council tax.

Data from public consultation sessions will be collated so the police authority can decide on a suitable increase at a public meeting in Selby on February 9.

Updated: 11:41 Tuesday, December 23, 2003