Agenda item

A report by the Police & Crime Commissioner is attached.

To give formal consideration to the Commissioner’s proposed precept for 2015-16.

The Commissioner presented a paper setting out his proposals for his precept for 2015-16.

He reminded the meeting that at the Panel’s previous meeting on 15 January 2015, he had provided a detailed report setting out his reasons for his proposed precept and which also included a copy of his Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS); he was proposing an increase of the Band D Precept by 1.9% to £163.98, which represented a £3.06 increase from the 2014-15 Police part of the Council Tax of £160.92.

The Commissioner also reminded members that he had been carrying out a wide consultation from 6 January until 4 February 2015 with presentations being given to area boards and locality meetings during which he disclosed that there had been a significant reduction in central funding in the previous four years and had forecast that this was most likely to continue over the next three years.  The central funding reduction for the total seven year period was estimated at £25m, which represented 24% of the budget. He had also consulted the public through town and parish councils, chambers of commerce and the farming community.  From the responses received 86 were in favour of his proposal whilst 35 were against.  The public who attended area board meetings, tended to support an increase in precept, stating that they wished the service to be protected as much as possible and in particular, the local response teams.  It was noted that all but one of the area boards consulted had been made aware of the strategic alliance proposals with Avon & Somerset Police Force during their consultation.

Cllr Andrew Bennett reported that there had been no major opposition to the proposed increase in Precept in the Swindon area during the consultation, it being regarded as inevitable. 

The Commissioner stated that following this consultation he wished to maintain his proposal to increase the Band D Precept by 1.9% to £163.98, which he estimated would provide an additional £729,000 income.  He also explained that a zero percent increase in the police precept was likely to produce £384,000 in government freeze grant.  He stated that reserves were forecast to be £11.1M of which £3.1M represented his general reserves.  The Chief Constable’s operational reserves amounted to £1.1M.

Members referred to the projected savings that were likely to be accrued as a result of the proposed strategic alliance with the Avon & Somerset Police Force and enquired as to the level of savings expected.  Clive Barker, Chief Finance Officer explained that it was estimated that the alliance was likely to produce a saving of about £6M but this work take a few years to work through.

However, some Members were of the opinion that, given the level of reserves and the savings anticipated following the strategic alliance with the Avon & Somerset Force that a frozen Precept at the 2014-15 level could be justified. Furthermore, the Chairman referred to the Council Tax Collection Fund Surplus and noted that £600,000 had been received, of £200,000 was over and above what was expected. The Chief Finance Officer explained that, whilst acknowledging receipt of the additional £200,000, £1M savings had still to be found in the next financial year and the expected savings from Human Resources and Finance had so far not materialised.  These savings were now expected to materialise as part of the strategic alliance proposals but, as previously explained, would take several years to work through.

After further discussion,

Resolved

To approve the Police & Crime Commissioner’s proposed Precept for 2015-16, which represented an increase of the Band D Precept by 1.9% to £163.98, a £3.06 increase from the 2014-15 Police part of the Council Tax of £160.92.