South Yorkshire Police has £2million left unspent in its annual budget

South Yorkshire Police has £2 million left unspent in its annual budget- despite a council tax increase earlier this year.
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The South Yorkshire Police’s Chief Constable’s budget came to a £2.6m underspend, which has been put down to a pension deficit, unspent Covid grant funding and unfilled staff vacancies.

The council tax precept which funds the force was raised by £15 for a Band D property, meaning those in a band D property now pay £213.04 per year.

The PCC’s chief finance officer Sophie Abbott told a meeting that a covid grant of £1.46 million has not been budgeted for, but will be spent.

South Yorkshire Police has £2 million left unspent in its annual budget, a meeting has been told.South Yorkshire Police has £2 million left unspent in its annual budget, a meeting has been told.
South Yorkshire Police has £2 million left unspent in its annual budget, a meeting has been told.

“We’ve got more money than we were planning on, but that will be spent”, she said.

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A total of £148,000 of the forecast underspend is down to employee costs, including a “pension lump sum deficit”, and vacancies, particularly within Atlas Court, in Sheffield.

Almost £500,000 has been saved on gas and electric bills because staff have worked from home.

There is currently £64.96 million in police ‘reserves’, the cash available for emergencies.

Ms Abbot told the meeting that there “are some uncertainties” with legacy issues, and whether the force receives Home Office support to fund investigations into Hillsborough, the Stovewood enquiry, and CSE civil claims, which are expected to cost the force more than £6 million.