Financial performance is generally good, and, in most years, there has been an underspend. The damage done to budgets by Covid and the Ukraine invasion cannot be underestimated. Levels of borrowing are low.

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• Raising income from section 106 agreements, Community Infra-structure Levies, various government grants, the pooled business rates fund has huge potential. I will ensure the department is able to maximise these income generation opportunities.

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• Investment of reserves has potential to make greater contributions and will be reviewed accordingly.

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• The Proceeds of Crime act needs amending to provide opportunities for forces to recoup their costs. I will lobby HM Treasury and the Home Office for this.

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• Full cost recovery options should be available for policing public commercial events – the law needs amendment, and I will lobby for this via the APCC and relevant government departments.

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• Productivity can be improved shrewd investment in technology (facial recognition, data robotics, CCTV, ANPR for example), and better working practices. There will be a review on how productivity can be improved.

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• Staff costs are not there to be simply manged downwards and there needs to be proper recognition of the vital work civilians deliver for policing in Suffolk. Ongoing savings will remain part of the annual financial budgeting process.

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• Levels of sickness and absenteeism are reducing and the recent progress in this area needs to continue. Numbers of agency staff and vacancies must be minimised. This will be monitored at our regular HR meetings with appropriate actions and timelines documented.

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• The huge (and unjust) variation in Home Office funding per resident across forces needs to be scrapped. Suffolk has the fourth lowest funding per resident in England and Wales taking no account of our large rural area. The campaign for a fairer funding settlement continues until a
  suitable formula is in place.

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