BREAKING NEWS: Revealed - £4million police costs of Balcombe fracking demos

The Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne has revealed that her calculations for the final overall cost - including standard police salaries - stands at £3.985m.

And she has warned that other police forces could face similar costly situations over fracking demonstrations in the future.

The crime commissioner has submitted an application to Home Office officials to recover the cost of the policing operation.

She said: “I firmly believe that local taxpayers have a right to know the final cost of this policing operation and it has been a detailed financial process to collate the costs incurred accurately.

“The additional, unforeseen cost of policing this operation has put pressure on the police budget at a time when considerable savings are being delivered in Sussex.

“Last summer Sussex Police were required to provide a policing response to a national issue, which is at the forefront of the Government’s energy security policy.

“What happened here in Sussex may determine what will play out across police force areas in the future.

“It is unfair to burden local taxpayers with this significant sum of money and that is why I have applied to the Home Office for funding to meet the cost of the policing operation. I look forward to receiving their response in due course.”

Information released today says that mutual aid costs account for £1.662m of the total while accommodation, subsistence and vehicle costs total £259,517. Supplies and services cost £43,507.

Ordinary officer police overtime stands at £335,519, rest day working at £830,137 and staff overtime and consequential divisional overtime at £209,139.

Normal police salaries for officers working on the operation total £621,860.