Agenda item

To consider proposals intended to enhance the Police Authority function within the City of London Corporation.

POLICY AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE AND ESTABLISHMENT COMMITTEE

3 December 2018

(Catherine McGuinness., Deputy and Charles Edward Lord., OBE, JP, Deputy)

The Court considered a joint report of the Policy and Resources Committee and Establishment Committee which recommended a base budget uplift to the Police Authority of up to £250,000 within City Fund; and the approval of the creation of a Grade I post within the Chamberlain’s Department. This funding and post would strengthen the capacity and capability of the Police Authority function.

Responding to a question from Mr McMurtrie regarding the annual cost of running the City of London Police force and the proportion of overall expenditure spent on the Police service, the Chair of Policy and Resources explained that the figures vary from year to year but provided the Honourable Member with the gross costs and net costs for 2017/2018 and 2018/2019 against the originally budgeted figures. The Chair explained that in future years, the Police Authority was forecasting deficits and work was underway to identify how best to close that gap. The Chair provided further figures to the Honourable Member explaining that Police expenditure was 28.7% of City Fund expenditure and 17.6% of all City Corporation expenditure.

Mr McMurtrie, thanking the Chair for her comments, asked a further question as to the reasons behind why the forecast expenditure was significantly more than budgeted. The Chair of the Establishment Committee in response explained that it was important to ensure the Police Authority had the relevant resources in place and resources would be added to the Town Clerk’s Department and Chamberlain’s Department to assist the Police Authority.

Resolved – That the Court:

·         endorse a base budget uplift to the Police Authority within City Fund of  up to £250,000 with effect from 2019/20 to be considered as part of the annual budget setting and medium-term financial planning process; and

·         approve the creation of a Grade I post in the Chamberlain’s Department.