WPCC3-0122 – Precept approval 2024/25

Decision Reference Number: WPCC3-0122

Lead Officer: Sara Ansell

Chief Officer approval: N/A

Date: 13/02/2024

Status: Non-confidential

Decision summary:

This Decision Notice provides formal approval for the 2024/25 budget and medium-term financial plan for the period 2024/25 to 2028/29.  The recommendations outlined in this notice are all approved.

I confirm that my register of interest’s declaration is up to date and that none of my interests preclude me from making this decision.

Signature :  P.Seccombe

Date : 16/02/204

Supporting information

1. Background information

The Commissioner must set an annual precept for the financial year 01 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 in compliance with the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 and the Police and Crime Panel (Precept and Chief Constable Appointments) Regulations 2013 made thereunder.

The attached report outlines all the issues in relation to the 2024/25 budget and precept setting process, and as such they are not replicated in this decision notice.

The report was discussed at the Police and Crime Panel on the 05 February 2024, and received majority support.  The PCC has received a letter from the Panel confirming this support and has duly responded.

The Commissioner is recommended to approve:

A net revenue budget after savings of £133.144m

A net revenue contribution from reserves of £0.629m

A net budget requirement of £132.515m

Council tax for a band D property of £289.71 (an increase of £13 or 4.7%)

A council tax for a band D property calculated as follows:

• The consequential council tax for each property band will be as follows:

That Precept Notices be issued to the Warwickshire billing authorities as shown below.

• The reserve position as set out in the attached report at section 7 and also at appendix B
• The outline capital budget in section 5.4 of the attached report
• All Officers and staff be instructed to exercise tight budgetary control. Over-spending of 2024/25 departmental budgets must be avoided and the utmost caution must be exercised when agreeing expenditure which creates additional commitments in future years.  The Commissioner will be kept fully informed of the financial position throughout the year, through tight budgetary control and monitoring, reported to him on a regular basis.
• The prudential indicators at Appendix A of the attached report
• In approving the budget, the PCC notes the Treasurer’s comments in Appendix B of the attached report in respect of the robustness of the budget and the adequacy of reserves.

2. List of additional information attached as appendices

Proposed budget and precept report, in addition to the covering report to the police and crime panel, dated 05 February 2024.

Letter to the PCC from the Police and Crime Panel

Letter to the Police and Crime Panel from the PCC

3. Expected benefits

The budget provides the funding for all the activities and responsibilities falling within the remit of the Commissioner and outlines the resources available to address that level of activity. The Medium-Term Financial Plan (MTFP) provides a guide to the longer-term sustainability of the Commissioner’s plans.  It also includes information in relation to the level of reserves and their usage by the Commissioner, in addition to detail on the planned capital investment over the medium-term period and how that will be financed.

All the expected specific benefits arising from this budget are included within the attached report as presented to the Police and Crime Panel on the 05 February 2024.  The Commissioner will monitor the delivery of these benefits through the holding to account process.

4. Impact of not approving the application

The Commissioner will not fulfil his obligations under the Police & Crime Panels (Precept and Chief Constable Appointments) Regulations 2012 and would not therefore fulfil one of his primary statutory functions.

5. Costs (including any identified savings)

All cost information is included within the attached report accompanying this decision notice.

6. Equality considerations

The budget provides for the continuation and development of policing services for all people in Warwickshire, irrespective of their protected characteristics of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.

7. Legal comments

The PCC is required to set a balanced budget and requires the force to operate within it.  Proposing the precept and approving the budget is one of the primary statutory responsibilities of the Police and Crime Commissioner.

Section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 requires the Commissioner to set a budget and precept by 1st March each year.

The Commissioner must ensure that the precept is sufficient to provide for the expenditure estimates it will incur in the year in performing functions, defraying outstanding expenditure incurred earlier, any expenditure before precepts become sufficiently available and any payments into reserves.

The Localism Act 2011 has abolished the council tax capping regime and replaced it with the requirement for Authorities to hold a taxpayer’s referendum if excessive increases are proposed. In 2024/25 an excessive increase would be £13.01 or greater.

Section 25 of the Local Government Act 2003 requires the CFO to report to the Commissioner on the robustness of the estimates made for the purposes of the statutory budget calculations and the adequacy of financial reserves and the Commissioner must have regard to that report when making decisions about the statutory budget calculations.    The attached report includes this assessment.

8. Social or Environmental considerations

The budget provides for the continuation and development of policing services for all people in Warwickshire.  Services will be provided in a manner which considers the social and environmental impacts, and preparing for a sustainable future is one of the main priorities of the Estates capital work included within this budget.

9. Publication

Information in this form is subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOI Act) and other legislation.  Unless the information provided is covered by an exemption and stated to be either confidential or partly confidential, the information contained in the form will be published on the OPCC website.

Comments from the Treasurer

This decision will finalise the process for setting the precept for 2024/25 which is required to support the Commissioner’s budget for the period 1 April 2024 – 31 March 2025.  Precept notifications will now be issued to Billing Authorities.

Comments from the Chief Executive and Monitoring Officer

The approval of this decision notice will complete the formal and statutory processes for the Commissioner in setting the budget for 2024/25.  He has acted in conformity with the Police & Crime Panels (Precept and Chief Constable Appointments) Regulations 2012, by having regard to representations received and any reports of the Police and Crime Panel.