Annual Report 22/23 Accessible Version
18. My Commitments as PCC (To secure funding through grants for Kent)
Secure the funding that Kent needs through specific grants and the funding formula review
As PCC, I can commission or grant fund services to support the delivery of my Police and Crime Plan priorities. These services can range from community-based organisations that provide diversionary activities to multi-year contracts that provide support to victims regardless of when the crime took place or if it was reported to the police.
Within the OPCC I have a Commissioning Team who are responsible for commissioning services, issuing grants and managing contracts. They are also responsible for attracting additional funding through successful bid writing.
During 2022/2023 several additional funding streams were offered by the Government and my team worked hard to ensure Kent got its fair share to enable new and existing services to be delivered.
Overall, I and my team were successful in securing additional funding of:
a) £1.7m for victim services;
b) £1.4m for Safer Streets;
c) £378,967 for Perpetrator Programmes; and
d) £27,164 for local integration of women’s services.
This brought the total additional funding for my commissioning budget in 2022/2023 to £3.5m.
The Government has also previously announced plans to review the Police Funding Formula – this determines the amount of funding each PCC receives.
In May 2022, my Chief Finance Officer (CFO) and I travelled to the HO for a meeting with the Director of Strategy, Capabilities and Resources to discuss Kent’s specific needs. I also wrote to the Chancellor ahead of the Funding settlement announced in December and have actively taken part in discussions with colleagues through the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC).
My Chief Executive and CFO have also fed into regional discussions and national mechanisms via the Association of Policing and Crime Chief Executives (APACE), the Police and Crime Commissioners Treasurers’ Society (PACCTS) and APCC. In addition, my CFO and the force’s CFO have held meetings with HO officials working on the Funding Formula to set out the unique challenges associated with policing the county.
Whilst a slow process, work on the funding formula will continue throughout 2023/24. Senior OPCC staff and I will continue to engage with Ministers and officials to set out the case for Kent in an effort to ensure the county receives a fair share of national police funding.