New delays to release of 2012 security budget

THE completion of London's £600 million Olympic security budget has been delayed again amid continued wrangling over the cost of protecting the Games from a terrorist attack.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, whose department has overall responsibility for security planning, had promised that a detailed budget would be finalised by the end of this year.

That was already a year later than originally scheduled, but it has now emerged that the precise costings will not be completed until at least February.

Insiders insist the delays surround the detail of the security planning rather than rising costs, but the delay is still certain to trigger fresh concerns.

The preparations have already been marred by claims by former Met Assistant Commissioner Tarique Ghaffur that he was stripped of the security role because of discrimination and that the budget needed to be doubled.

"Increased security costs have been the single biggest cause of budget increases at both the Sydney and Athens Olympics," Tory shadow Olympics minister Hugh Robertson said. "So it is extremely serious that the publication of the security plan has been delayed yet again."

The Olympic security budget includes an extra £238million for contingencies. The IOC's chief inspector of the London Games, Denis Oswald, believes the entire £838million will be spent.

He said 2012 security would be "the most expensive" ever, exceeding Athens, the first summer Olympics after the 11 September terrorist attacks.