Agenda item

Report of the Chamberlain and the City of London Police Commissioner.

This report has been considered by the Police Committee this day, and will be considered by the Court of Common Council.

Members considered a report of the Chamberlain and the Commissioner of City Police regarding the draft City of London Police Medium Term Financial Plan up to 2019/20. Members noted that the report had been approved by the Police Committee earlier that day. It was noted that the core grant of the City Police had been reduced by £700,000 and that it was proposed to involve external consultants in addressing the emerging budget deficit.

In response to concerns from a Member that the adoption of external assistance was proving slower than anticipated, the Chairman of the Police Committee gave the assurance that this would be addressed as soon as possible.

In response to further questions from Members, the Chairman of Police replied that frontline policing, including in areas such as Bank Junction, would remain effective, and that officers continued to liaise with colleagues in the British Transport Police to ensure safety on the transport network in the City.

RESOLVED, that Members

• note the latest forecast outturn for 2016/17 of a deficit of £2.6m, funded by a drawdown in the Reserve to £1.5m;
• note the forecast budget deficit varying from £3.1m in 2017/18 to £5.9m in 2018/19 and £3.1m 2019/20 before mitigation;
• recommend to  the Court of Common Council the  relaxation of the reserve threshold of £4m and approve the use of reserves in 2016/17 totalling £2.6m and 2017/18 totalling £1.5m;
• agree that the City Corporation should meet the revenue contribution to fund capital schemes already budgeted for in 2017/18 and 2018/19 of £1.4m and £1m respectively and that the additional headroom on business rate premium is applied to help meet the increased  budget pressures;
• agree in principle  the use of City capital resources to finance the Police capital programme in future, subject to a further report;
• agree the revision of current vacancy factors and efficiency targets within the force as an efficiency option over this MTFP, pending outcome of external review; and
• note that the usual report detailing revenue and capital estimates will be submitted to Police committee in January following settlement of the Police grant from the Government.