Following the major disruption to normal Saturday life in Luton town centre during the two rival marches on 5^th February the Liberal Democrat leader on Luton Council has written a letter to the Home Office to ask them to find a way to share the costs of the police operation on the day.

In his letter Councillor Franks says;

“Luton residents are all relieved that the events passed relatively peacefully with a very small number of arrests and no serious disturbance. This outcome was only possible because of the months of very close co-operative planning by Bedfordshire Police, Luton Borough Council, Bedfordshire & Luton Fire and Rescue Service and a number of other statutory and voluntary organisations. The months of meticulous planning led to a co-operative operation on the day which gave us a much more satisfactory outcome than might have been.”

He says the operation cost more than £1 million and that the enormous financial burden should be shared with others who were fortunate not to have been targeted, but who might well be in the future.

“It is grossly unfair that we alone, Luton Council Tax payers, have to pick up the bill for an operation which was essential for the protection of life and property and was only necessary because EDL decided to target our town for their march.”