Agenda item

CONSIDERATION OF THE POLICE AND CRIME COMMISSIONER'S PROPOSED LEVEL OF PRECEPT FOR 2015/16

The panel will consider the PCC’s proposed level of precept for 2015/16 and will decide whether to support or veto the proposal.

Minutes:

Having regard to discussion undertaken on the previous item (minute 46), the Police and Crime Panel considered the Police and Crime Commissioner’s proposal to increase the precept by 1.99% and the reasoning behind that proposal, as presented by the OPCC Chief Executive, OPCC Treasurer and Chief Constable.  On behalf of the Police and Crime Commissioner, the Chief Executive offered his apologies for being unable to attend the meeting in person.

 

In addition to the report, Members received a presentation which set out –

 

§  the PCC’s main financial priorities over the next four years, against a gap in funding of £29m over four years, with £9.8m of that remaining, as yet, unidentified beyond 2016/17

§  the forecast for Government departmental expenditure and unprotected departmental reductions

§  the PCC’s assumptions for price increases

§  the PCC’s budget requirements for 2015/16 to 2018/19

§  details of the grant settlement for 2015/16 and how the gap would be funded

§  savings achieved to date and forecasted savings, including risk

§  a potential loss of 792 staff up to 2018/19

§  the impact of the Council Tax freeze grant

§  underlying financial risks

§  details of the PCC’s revenue reserves

§  the case for a 1.99% increase for 2015/16 and what that would mean to the Council Tax payer –

o   6.4 pence per week (at Band D) - £3.31 per annum

o   5.6 pence per week (at Band C) - £2.93 per annum

§  precept comparisons with other regional forces such as Avon and Somerset

 

In response to questions raised, Members were advised further that –

 

(a)

 

an amended presentation with detail of the percentage saving against each item would be circulated to members after the meeting and that, when providing details of proposed significant future savings reports would include what each saving represents in percentage terms of the overall budget line;

 

(b)

 

vehicle licensing enforcement was still a major part of the policing role however the abolition of the tax disc had resulted in no significant impact in terms of cost;

 

(c)

 

a referendum had been considered and hadn’t been ruled out for a future year, however, it had not been though appropriate for this year given that there was a strong and stable budget for 2015/16;

 

(d)

 

£792,000 of staff savings had to be achieved, however, information on where exactly staff cuts would fall was not currently available;

 

(e)

 

£1.2m had been confirmed from Government for counter-terrorism measures and there was ongoing discussion between the south-west region and central office to identify where any cuts would fall.  However, the Chief Constable was not willing to lose any of his current firearms sites;

 

(f)

 

with regard to the PCC’s estate management, proposals were currently being considered around income generation and a number of sites had been identified as having potential.  However, due to sensitive commercial and legal reasons, no further information could be provided at this time;

 

(g)

 

with staffing reductions being called upon year on year, outsourcing had been explored and now amounted to 15% of the budget.  A contact had just been signed with BT for the OPCC’s  ICT provision;

 

(h)

 

it was the intention of the OPCC to report back to the Panel with a detailed, longer-term, strategy on how the policing landscape would look in four years’ time and how savings will be realised.

 

Having considered the evidence presented by the Chief Executive Officer for the Police and Crime Commissioner, the Chief Constable and their support staff, the Police and Crime Panel –

 

(1)

 

agreed unanimously the proposal to increase the precept by 1.99% (15 members present out of 20).

 

(The meeting adjourned for lunch at 1.15 pm

and reconvened at 1.52 pm).

 

(Councillor Excell was absent from this point for the remainder of the meeting).

 

The Chair welcomed everyone back to the meeting and took the opportunity to ask that the Panel’s disappointment at the non-attendance of the Police and Crime Commissioner be formally recorded.  He then asked Sarah Hopkins, Community Safety and Partnerships Manager to read out some of the possible recommendations which had arisen from the morning’s discussions. 

 

Subject to refinement of the exact wording of the recommendations after the meeting, having been moved on block by Councillor Saltern and seconded by Councillor Wright, it was agreed to -

 

(2)

 

recommended that the Police and Crime Commissioner -

 

o   When providing details of proposed significant future savings, to include what each saving represents in percentage terms of the overall budget line.

o   Provide the Panel with a report which details options for giving primacy to non-staff savings as opposed to resorting to staff reductions.

o   Undertake a review of procurement options to maximise on efficiencies and report back to the Panel upon completion.

o   With the Chief Constable, provide a report to the panel on the viability of introducing initiatives and options for the scrapping of untaxed/abandoned vehicles and the potential for income generation.

o   Provide a report to the Panel detailing options for maximising capital receipts, commercialisation and leasing options, joint initiatives with partners, as methods of income generation and maximising return on estates in revenue terms that will minimise reliance on the use of reserves and increase in police precept in the future.

o   Provide the Panel with a detailed report clarifying where staff reductions will be made as a matter of priority.

o   Lobby the Home Office against making cuts to the grant provided to Devon and Cornwall Police of £1.2M for tackling terrorism and allied matters in the South West.

o   Provide the Panel with a report of initial details and proposals for income generation in the autumn 2015.

o   Report to the Panel a detailed longer-term strategy of how the policing landscape will look in four years’ time and how savings will be realised.

o   Provide the Panel with a more detailed report to enable them to scrutinise ‘earmarked’ reserves.  This detail should be routinely provided as part of budget/precept-setting reports.

  

Supporting documents: