DERBYSHIRE: Force forks out £6k on listening to music at work

Figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act reveal the force paid £5,800 for the privilege.

The Performing Right Society (PRS) collects the fees and pays royalties to composers and their publishers.

Terry Neaves, director of finance at Derbyshire police, said: “We keep tight control over our payments to the PRS.

“However, some payments are unavoidable – for example, where we need to use music in material to raise awareness of the work of Derbyshire police and promote public safety.”

Altogether, police chiefs in England and Wales paid £660,952 on the licences in the last year.

The Metropolitan Police was the biggest spender, having forked out almost £250,000.

Four forces paid nothing.

Matthew Sinclair, chief executive of the Taxpayers’ Alliance, said: “This bill should not be borne by the public.

“When police forces across the country have to balance their budgets, this is an easy way for them to save money and focus funds on catching criminals and preventing crime.”

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