(a)

despite best efforts at horizon scanning and forward thinking, it was difficult to plan beyond 2017 given the unknown budgetary constraints.  Over the next four years, if a number of planned initiatives were unsuccessful, it was likely that the equivalent of 800 posts across Devon and Cornwall would be lost.  The settlement for 2016/17 would be announced in December and it was anticipated that savings similar to those achieved over the last four years would need to be repeated.  The Home Office has said that crime was falling and therefore policing required less money, however, most calls on the service today were in areas that fell just short of crime or were more complex.  More fully defined budget proposals would be available in September ready to go to public consultation in October.  The results of that public consultation, combined with knowledge of the settlement decision in December, would enable the Commissioner and his team to work out his precept proposals for the panel’s consideration in February 2016;

(b)

the high level of reserves had been built up over a number of years, some of which preceded the Commissioner, and were earmarked to address a number of matters, such as –

·         declining budgets

·         a reduction in staffing numbers to avoid large-scale redundancies

·         provision of new criminal justice hub at Middlemoor

·         mitigation of financial risk possibly arising from the A19 Tribunal

(c)

Ms Atkinson’s offer to assist the OPCC in undertaking a financial stress testing exercise in respect of their reserves was welcomed and accepted;

(d)

a revised copy of the presentation to the Precept meeting had been prepared and was to have been circulated with the agenda papers for the April meeting, however, as that meeting had been cancelled the matter had been overlooked.  A copy would be circulated to the panel at the earliest opportunity.

(1)

the draft report to the PCC as a final version in respect of the panel’s comments and recommendations;

(2)

the PCC’s response to the draft final report and noted progress made in addressing those recommendations;

(3)

the suggested items for inclusion in the panel’s work programme as follows –

·         report outlining options for giving primacy to non-staff savings as opposed to resorting to staff reductions – to be included within ‘Transformation’ item scheduled for Autumn 2015;

·         joint report with Chief Constable on the viability of introducing initiatives and options for the scrapping of untaxed/abandoned vehicles and the potential for income generation – December 2015;

·         report detailing options for maximising capital receipts, commercialisation and leasing options, joint initiatives with partners, as methods of incoming 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 – Summer 2015;

·         report clarifying where staff reductions will be made as a matter of priority – to be be included within ‘Transformation’ item scheduled for Autumn 2015;

·         report on initial details and proposals for income generation – to be included within ‘Transformation’ item scheduled for Autumn 2015;

·         report setting out a detailed longer-term strategy of how the policing landscape will look in four years’ time and how savings will be realised – to be included within ‘Transformation’ item scheduled for Autumn 2015;

·         detailed report enabling scrutiny of ‘earmarked’ reserves (to be routinely provided as part of budget/precept-setting reports – to be included in the precept submission in February 2016.