Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Staffordshire's Draft Policing Service Budgets and Precept 2025-26
Report of the Staffordshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel (The Panel) to the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Staffordshire (The PFCC)
With regard to:
The Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Staffordshire’s Policing Service Budget and Precept 2025/26
As required under the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 this is the formal report by the Panel on their consideration of, and decision on your proposed Policing Services Budget/Precept for 2025/26. The legislation gives us the power to veto your Precept if we consider it to be too low or too high and sets out the procedures to be followed both by the Panel and yourself in the event of the veto being exercised. The Panel met on Monday 3 February 2025. You attended, accompanied by your Deputy, your Chief Executive Officer and the Director of Resources (S151 Officer) for Staffordshire Police. The Panel received your proposed budget and precept proposals for the Police and Crime element of your portfolio for 2025/26. You reported that the proposed budget/precept showed a total net revenue budget requirement of £277.640m for 2025/26. You proposed to part fund this from Council Tax funding of £106.274m with an increase of 5.1% per annum (an increase of £14 per annum) increasing the Council tax to £287.57 for a Band D property. You reported that during 2024/25 the force had demonstrated improvement and had successfully managed unforeseen events such as the public disorder in summer in Stoke on Trent and Tamworth. The MTFS showed the majority of savings identified last year had also been met.
The Panel, during their discussions considered the following information:
- Budget Report 2025/26 including Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS)
- Treasury Management Strategy 2025/26
- Reserves Strategy update
- Capital Strategy and Capital Programme
- A summary of the results of the public and stakeholder engagement survey.
The Panels minutes of the meeting can be found at Browse meetings - Staffordshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel - Staffordshire County Council
The Panels principle questioning was around efficiency and performance.
At the conclusion of our discussions on your proposal, they resolved to support your precept increase of 5.1% and Revenue Budget for 2025/26.
The Panel feel that the public needed to be able to see the benefits of the transformation plans and investments in terms of reducing crime and improving service. The Panel request that you consider how investments and efficiencies could be visibly linked to the key performance indicators and performance monitoring at your performance meetings with the Chief Constable.
B Peters
Chair
On behalf of the Staffordshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel