Agenda item

There was one item of urgent business.

City of London Police – Medium Term Financial Plan and Budget Update

The Committee considered a joint report of the Chamberlain and the Commissioner of the City of London Police which provided an updated draft medium term financial plan for the City of London Police, indicating a deteriorating financial position through to 2017/18.

The Chairman indicated that the subject of the City of London Police’s finances would be the subject of a Finance Committee Breakfast in October or November. He suggested that this could be jointly hosted by the Chairman of the Police Committee

A Member, who was also Chairman of the Police Committee, agreed that a breakfast workshop regarding this subject would be welcome and Members should be given the opportunity to discuss the future of the City of London Police. He confirmed that this was a period of great uncertainty for Police in light of the review of the funding formula and the different kind of police work conducted by the City of London Police in comparison to other forces, focusing as it did on the physical and financial security of the businesses of the City. The Member also indicated that it may be time to consider an increase to the Business Rates Premium.

Members asked whether there would be any benefits to further collaboration with the Metropolitan Police and what lobbying activities the Corporation and the Police were undertaking. The Chairman of the Police Committee explained that the City of London Police did work extensively with the Metropolitan Police, but both organisations were funded through many different funding schemes depending on the types of work undertaken and their role in that work. The Chairman of the Police Committee also explained that the Corporation and Police worked closely with Ministers and Shadow Ministers to ensure that they were aware of the current situation for the City of London Police.

Members agreed that a breakfast event to provide a forum for a discussion of the Police’s finances and the future of the City of London Police would be welcomed.

The Chairman thanked Members for their contributions to this discussion, and noted that the Committee would be interested to hear the outcome of the discussion of this report at the Police Committee later in the week.

RESOLVED – That the Committee notes the report.