By Steve Bargeton, political editor

THE COST of policing and extra security measures at the G8 summit at Gleneagles is being estimated at £100 million—five times the amount pledged by the UK Government.

Chancellor Gordon Brown has said that he will make £20 million available for policing the biggest security operation ever mounted on the UK mainland.

However, The Courier has learned that estimates for the final security and policing bill are being put at nearer the £100 million mark.

And with just six weeks to go until the leaders of the world’s richest countries take their seats at Gleneagles Hotel, no firm decision has been made about who is going to foot the bill.

Last night the Scottish Executive would give no solid assurances that the council tax-payers of Tayside and Edinburgh would not be asked to subsidise the event.

And yesterday the Executive insisted that ministers could not write a “blank cheque.”

“The UK Government has agreed to provide an additional £20 million for which we are grateful,” said a spokesman.

“But it is far too early to say what the costs will be.

“We are reluctant to sign blank cheques before we know what we are dealing with.”

Asked if the Executive was prepared to pick up the bill for anything over the £20 million promised by the Chancellor or would some of the burden fall on the shoulders of local taxpayers in Perth, Dundee, Angus and Edinburgh, the spokesman said local authorities would not be “left in the lurch.”

Edinburgh City Council said it was “completely and utterly opposed” to its council tax-payers’ meeting the cost of any damage caused in the city.

Council leader Donald Anderson has written to Prime Minister Tony Blair and First Minister Jack McConnell demanding that any costs be met from central government coffers.

Protesters are planning a mass demonstration in the Scottish capital on July 2.

Instead, Mr Anderson wants the money to come from Holyrood ministers or the UK Government.

Last night the main Scottish opposition parties said the cost of the summit should be met in full by the Treasury.

SNP justice spokesman Kenny MacAskill said, “The policing operation for the G8 summit is a huge undertaking and so our police forces have an enormous task ahead of them.”

Mr MacAskill added, “That said the figure of £100 million now estimated for the total cost is far in excess of any previously quoted amount.

“The fact remains that although Scotland will pay the price of hosting the summit at Gleneagles in June in terms of disruption around the event and in our major cities, the Westminster Government should cover the cost of the security exercise in full.

“When it suits them the Westminster Government ignore Scotland’s needs on the world stage, but now when the world comes to Scotland they believe that we should foot the vast majority of the £100m bill.

“This is simply not on.

“Tony Blair and Gordon Brown should agree to meet this shortfall now.”

Scottish Tory deputy leader Annabel Goldie said, “Whilst we accept that Scotland will get some economic benefit from hosting this important summit, it is a UK event and Her Majesty’s Government at Westminster should bear the brunt of the cost.”

Security for the eight world leaders and other dignitaries at the summit could cost 10 times as much as all other costs of staging the event combined.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is working on an estimate of £8.9 million for organising the event, excluding security.

The figure covers the cost of the summit itself, including travel, entertainment and catering.