Agenda and minutes
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Contact: Damian Markland
Media
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APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
The Chairman to report apologies for absence. Additional documents: Minutes: Apologies were received from Councillor John O’Reilly, Councillor Pat Frost and Independent Member Janice Turner.
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MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING
To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 13 December 2012 as a correct record. Additional documents: Minutes: The minutes of the meeting that took place on 13 December 2012 were agreed as a correct record. |
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DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
To receive any declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests from Members of the Panel in respect of any item to be considered at the meeting. Additional documents: Minutes: None. |
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Police and Crime Commissioner's Proposed Precept for 2013-14
The Police and Crime Panel is required to consider and formally respond to the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Proposed Precept for 2013-14.
(Note: Under the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 the Commissioner has until 1 February 2013 to inform the Panel of the proposed precept. Once received, details of the precept and any accompanying budget information will immediately be forwarded to all members of the Panel and published on the Council’s website.) Additional documents: Minutes: The Chairman of the Police and Crime Panel explained that the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 required that the Panel review the Police and Crime Commissioner’s proposed precept for the forthcoming financial year. Under the legislation the Panel could agree the precept without qualification or comment, support the precept and make comments or recommendations concerning the application of the revenues generated, or veto the proposed precept.
The Chairman stated that the purpose of the meeting was therefore to allow the Commissioner to outline his proposals in more detail and to answer any questions Panel members might have before the Panel made its decision.
The Commissioner provided the Panel with an overview of his proposed budget and precept for 2013/14, as detailed in the agenda papers, and made the following key points:
· The Surrey Police budget was made up of two distinct elements: grants from Central Government and money raised through Council Tax.
· Surrey Police had historically received one of the lowest levels of Government funding in the Country and funding was continuing to decrease. As such, a higher proportion of funding had to be raised through Council Tax.
· The low level of grant funding received by Surrey Police had been raised with the Government and the Minister of State for Police and Criminal Justice, Damien Green, had subsequently requested that he, as Commissioner, prepare a case for consideration.
· He had given consideration to the Government’s offer of a two-year 0.5% Council Tax freeze grant but was concerned that accepting this would put the Police in a difficult financial position and create a situation whereby it would be difficult to raise sufficient funds in future years.
· Even with the increase in the Police’s share of Council Tax, the overall budget for Surrey Police next year would be £1m less than the previous year.
· Based on feedback received at recent consultation events with residents, there had been strong support for increasing Council Tax to ensure a robust policing service.
· Having recently suspended the Police’s asset selling programme pending full review, a number of planned sales could no longer be used to balance the books and the Police would also have to pay for the maintenance of unsold buildings. However, it was felt that the long-term financial benefits would outweigh this initial finance burden.
· The 1.99% increase would mean that the sum paid by a Surrey Band D household for policing for the year would rise from £203.49 to £207.55. This represented an increase of approximately 8p per week.
The Chairman thanked the Commissioner for his overview and invited questions from Panel Members. During the following question and answer session, the following points were clarified:
· The purpose of the engagement events in January had been to outline to residents the impact of freezing Council Tax on frontline policing services. It had not been possible to provide the Panel with early budgetary information prior to 1 February as the Commissioner’s Office had been waiting for information from the 11 boroughs and districts ... view the full minutes text for item 4/13 |
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DEPUTY POLICE & CRIME COMMISSIONER'S OBJECTIVES AND PERFORMANCE REVIEW
Members of the Police and Crime Panel are asked to note the Deputy Police & Crime Commissioner Objectives for 2013/14. Additional documents: Minutes: The Chairman explained that following the confirmation hearing for the Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner (DPCC) that took place on 13 December 2013, she had, on behalf of the Panel, written to the Commissioner to support the appointment of Mr Jeff Harris.
At the request of Members, she had also put forward a recommendation that the Commissioner provide the Panel with the criteria by which the DPCC’s performance would be assessed and that he share the results of future appraisals with Members.
It was explained that the Commissioner had agreed to both these requests and had provided the Panel with a copy of the DPCC’s objectives for 2013/14 in the attached report.
RESOLVED: That
1. The Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner’s objectives for 2013/14 be noted. |
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Public Questions
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