15 May 2024

ATTENDANCE

CC Forber

DCC Bisset

ACO Lisa Stitt

T/ACC Wayne Fox

T/ACC Catherine Clarke

CFO Louise Branford-White

CI Roffe – Staff Officer

Janice Bryan – Corporate Communications

Sarah Gardiner – GSO, Executive Support

APOLOGIES

None 

ITEM 1: Review of minutes

Summary of Discussion:

The minutes of the COT meeting held on the 8^th May 2024 were reviewed.

No amendments requested and the minutes were approved.

ITEM 2: Action and Decision Log review

Summary of Discussion:

The action and decision log was reviewed and updated.

Action 541 – Budget.  Closed.

Action 560 – Uniform badge. Work progressing.

Action 565 – Estate Collaboration Funding. Agenda item.

Action 567 – Replacement vehicle schedule.  ACO Stitt confirmed a plan is in place.  Closed.

Action 568 – Body Armour.  A good stock of body armour is held and available.

Action 572 - Crime reclassification. Action remitted to the Investigation and Crime Standards Board.  Closed.

Action 574 – Employee wellbeing.  Action remitted to the Strategic Wellbeing Meeting. Closed.

ITEM 3: Finance and Budget Monitoring

Summary of Discussion:

CFO Branford-White presented three Finance reports to the meeting.

Revenue Outturn 2023/24

This report presented the outturn position of the expenditure and income versus the delegated revenue budget for 2023/24.

The net revenue position for the Force was a slight underspend, totalling £0.050m.

The 2023/24 outturn against expenditure was a £0.798m overspend, including a £0.079m underspend relating to salaries.

A discussion took place regarding the force overtime budget.  The CFO sighted COT on governance and challenges.

Income over-achieved by £0.848m.

The £0.050m underspend has been ringfenced into reserves for use in 2024/25. The PFCC has approved allocation of this against the Oracle Upgrade (£0.042m), which was not completed in 2023/24, and DEMS slippage (£0.008m).

Alongside this, £0.884m other pressures on the 2024/25 budget are known. Of these, £0.622m are outside of the force’s control, however £0.261m arise from force decisions.

Capital Outturn 2023/24

This report presented the outturn position for the Police Capital Programme as at March 2024.

In February 2023, the Police and Fire Crime Commissioner (PFCC) agreed the Capital budget for 2023/24 totalling £12.991m.

It should be noted, the jointly approved Funding Protocol by the PFCC and Chief Constable allows the Capital programme to be increased for projects in the Change Pipeline once a formal business case had been approved at the Executive Board.

This was designed to help overcome the position in recent years with underspends particularly where the budgets contained complex or nationally led change projects, whose delivery could slip beyond the 31st March cut off for an annual capital budget.

Slippage against the original budget was significant, totalling £7.676m (47%). Materially this was attributable to the Estates capital programme, where several large projects experienced delays.

A discussion took place around the Estate Plan and further information is required for the Capital Programme.

Finance v Budget Update 2023/24

The revenue budget was approved at Executive Board on 27 February 2024. On 15 May 2024, the revenue budget 2024/25 overspend was £866,893 where the funding is to be found within the current budget.

2025/26 Budgeting setting process is provided to engage COT and raise awareness as to the commitment across the force to set the budget from July 2024 to February 2025.

CFO Branford White highlighted the 2024/25 overspend in May 2024 at £866,893.  A Prioritisation process for 2024/25 will be discussed at the Savings & Efficiency Board.

2025/26 budget setting process for Capital, Change Pipeline and Revenue was discussed with bids to be submitted by Heads of Function and prioritised for a decision.

The planning cycle commences in June each year.  During June / early July a business acumen update session will be held for all Heads of Function and Budget holders to ensure the Force is engaged with the budget setting process.

During July and August, where there is evidence to demonstrate new threat or increased demand then functions will be asked to consider a range of criteria to manage the need for capital investment or proposals for the change pipeline funding.

At the end of August, the Asset Meeting will consider these requirements using a scoring matrix so the allocation of capital and the change pipeline funding can be prioritised for the best outcome for the Force. Ongoing discussions will be required across the Force and Enable services during September to ensure the correct time is allocated to projects.

In late September, the capital and change pipeline prioritised scoring matrix of Force demands will be provided to Chief Officer Team (COT) for approval.

Meanwhile during September, the revenue budget setting process will have commenced where Finance and Business Design and Assurance (BDA) representatives will liaise with all budget holders to establish where the day-to-day operational budget should be allocated. COT is cognisant of the challenging financial and operational position North Yorkshire Police face and is aware growth is limited due to funding constraints.

In October, revenue budget proposals will be collated by Finance and the capital investments and change pipeline proposals consolidated where further discussions may occur with Commands, Heads of Function and budget holders to ensure all risks and demands identified are contained within the parameters of the budget that is being proposed.

During November, the budget will be finalised within Finance including budget priorities, scenarios and precept options which will feed into further budget setting meetings with the OPFCC for first approval by COT in December.

Budget discussions finalised at the end of December will be reported to COT mid-January for approval at Executive Board at the end of January 2024. During January, the budget will be presented to all Heads of function and budget holders at a Strategic Planning session to ensure that all have an understanding and awareness.

At the beginning of February, the OPFCC Panel approves the funding envelope for the Force’s budget and the Final budget is approved end of February at Executive board.

The budget is agreed by the PFCC at the end of February 2024 where this will then inform the North Yorkshire Police change programme, Workforce Strategy, and Training Plans along with Estates and Fleet Strategies for the Force to continue to meet the needs of the public of North Yorkshire.

Decision – COT supported the budget setting timeline.

ITEM 4: People Management

Summary of Discussion:

Leanne Consett Head of People Services joined the meeting.

Secondments

Three new secondment advert requests were reviewed.

Fast-Track Police Constable to Inspector Programme.

A discussion took place around the current process,  it was agreed an ACC will be consulted as part of the assessment panel decision.

Decision – ACC and Head of People Services to be consulted as part of the assessment decision for the PC to Insp Fast Track process.

Police Race Action Plan

Leanne Consett confirmed a meeting had taken place with Natasha Harris National ACE Network and T/Chief Insp Malia from the NYP Race Action Team.  Work is ongoing towards a briefing document and the next steps.

ITEM 5: FMS6 (Force Management Statement)

Summary of Discussion:

DCC Bisset advised the meeting he is receiving daily updates and the final document will be submitted to COT on the 16^th May 2024.  It was discussed due to time constraints the document would be reviewed outside of the weekly COT meeting.

ITEM 6: Estate Plan Update

Summary of Discussion:

Tim Edwards Head of Estates joined the meeting and presented an overview Estates Service Catalogue including Estate Management, Service Provision and Sustainability.

A discussion took place around the current process for reporting defects and how faults are prioritised and reviewed.  Delays have been experienced to rectify issues which include order and delivery time and availability of replacement parts being the main issues encountered.

As part of the Estate Improvement Plan the use of ticketing system software as used by ICT will be explored.  This would help the grading fault prioritisation, recording of information and data analysis.

A discussion took place around the approach to project management and how the organisation involves the Estate Team in consultation, the Estate Team should be involved once a project commences.

The COT identified concern around business continuity and make safe arrangements. ACO Stitt advised as part of the improvement plan, out of hours provision was being reviewed along with the criteria used to assess and prioritise repairs.

Tim Edwards advised the Funding of Collaborated Spaces work was ongoing.

ACO Stitt and Tim Edwards will continue to provide monthly updates to the COT Board.

ITEM 7: COT Forward Planner

Summary of Discussion:

The forward planner was reviewed and updated.

It was agreed the COT Board would not be held on the 22^nd May 2024.

FMS6 will be discussed outside of COT to meet the submission deadline.

PSD trends will be presented in June.

ITEM 8:  Urgent financial decisions and updates.

Summary of Discussion:

CFO Branford-White informed the meeting the final accounts are due on the 18^th June 2024.

ITEM 9:  Any other portfolio updates by exception.

Summary of Discussion:

None raised.

ITEM 10:  Chief Officer Team Commitments

Summary of Discussion:

The Chief Officer Team Commitments were reviewed for the next two weeks.

ITEM 11:  Any  other business

Summary of Discussion:

Response Policing Week

The Chief Officers agreed to join response teams on patrol.

Action – Staff Officer to co-ordinate in diaries.

FCR Service Improvement Manager

T/ACC Clarke provided an overview of the request for a temporary Service Improvement Manager in the Force Control Room for 4 months.

Decision - It was agreed to support the decision for a Service Improvement Manger for the FCR for a period of 4 months.

DATE AND TIME OF NEXT MEETING

Date of next meeting: 29^th May 2024

Time:          11:00am