Agenda item

Joint report of the Chamberlain and the Commissioner of Police (copy attached).

The Committee received a joint report of the Chamberlain and Commissioner setting out the Force’s revenue outturn for the past financial year.

The Director of Corporate Services introduced the report and stated that the Force had reported an underspend and therefore had reduced its reliance on reserves.

The Director of Corporate Services explained significant expenditures would be required in the upcoming year, such as a programme of IT replacement following the Force’s discontinued participation in the ECIS project.

The report included an assumed increase from the Business Rate Premium of £1.5m from 2014/15 and savings from the planned reduction in officer numbers.

The Chamberlain noted there had been an improvement in the Force’s financial position.

With reference to table 3 in the report, a Member queried the reason for the figures including an assumed increase from the Business Rate Premium of £1.5m from 2014/15 when the 1p in the £ increase had not been formally agreed. The Commissioner explained that the assumption had been included in view of the fact that preliminary discussions had been held at Resource Allocation Sub-Committee which had led to notice being given to Ratepayers earlier this year that such a raise might be required in 2014/15. He fully accepted, however, that the proposed raise needed to go through the required procedures and he suggested that this might be usefully covered in one of the upcoming Police Committee workshops.

RECEIVED.