Setting the Kent Police budget
The PCC is responsible for the Kent Police gross budget of £568.5 million for 2026/27. He uses this money to make Kent a safer place to live and work. This sum takes into account predicted savings of £2.9 million.
As taxpayers, you have a right to see how he spends your money.
| Source | £m |
| Central government grants | 326.1 |
| Council Tax Precept (2026/27) | 197.0 |
| Locally generated income | 42.5 |
| Predicted Savings | 2.9 |
| Total financing | 568.5 |
| Expenditure | £m |
| Kent Police officer and staff pay | 452.1 |
| Supplies and services | 49.0 |
| Premises | 21.8 |
| Transport (inc insurance) | 8.1 |
| Grants and victim services awarded by the PCC | 4.0 |
| OPCC Running costs | 1.7 |
| Other non-pay costs inc IT, supplies etc | 31.8 |
Council tax precept
The PCC is responsible for setting the police part of the council tax bill, known as the police precept.
Following consultation with the public and local partners, the PCC's proposal to set the precept for 2026/27 at £285.15 for an average (Band D) property was approved at a meeting of the Kent and Medway Police and Crime Panel on 5th February 2026. This is an increase of £15 (5.6%) on last year's precept.
Read the Police and Crime Panel's report on the Police and Crime Plan and proposed Precept.
Read the Commissioner's response to the Panel's report.
Reserves
The reserves is the savings that the PCC has 'in the bank' to support the annual budget, fund investment in transformational projects and to use when necessary to mitigate against any financial risks. There is no defined minimum level of reserves that PCCs must hold.
In Kent the PCC, with advice from the Chief Finance Officer and taking into account local and national circumstances, has agreed that a general non-earmarked reserve of 3% of the net budget (around £14 million) is maintained for unforeseeable events - such as Operation Brock, large public order incidents, major investigations and civil incidents like flooding.
Read the OPCC's Reserves Strategy 2026/27.
Further detail can be found here (Annex B1).
Financial Regulations
Public sector accounting is covered by a range of government legislation and accounting standards that are designed to ensure proper accountability for public funds. The Financial Regulations can be found here.
Accounts
See details of our Treasury Management Strategy and the Statements of Accounts below.
2024/25 Statement of Accounts
- Kent PCC Group Audited Statement of Accounts
- Kent Chief Constable Audited Statement of Accounts
- Qualified Audit Report for Kent Chief Constable
- Qualified Audit Report for PCC Group
- Kent Police Audit Results Report
2023/2024 Statement of Accounts
- 2023-24 Kent Chief Constable Audited Statement of Accounts
- 2023-24 Kent PCC-Group Audited Statement of Accounts
- EY Disclaimer Audit Report for the Kent CC 2023-24
- EY Disclaimer Audit Report for the Kent PCC-Group 2023-24
- EY Completion Report for Those Charged With Governance for the Kent CC and PCC-Group 2023-24
2022/2023 Statement of Accounts
- 2022-23 Kent Chief Constable Audited Statement of Accounts
- 2022-23 Kent PCC-Group Audited Statement of Accounts
- EY Disclaimer Audit Report for the Kent CC 2022-23 SIGNED
- EY Disclaimer Audit Report for the Kent PCC-Group 2022-23 SIGNED
- EY Completion Report for Those Charged with Governance for the Kent CC and PCC-Group
- Notice of Completion of Accounts for CC and PCC 2022-23
2021/2022 Statement of Accounts
- Kent Group and PCC Statement of Accounts 2021-22
- Chief Constable Statement of Accounts 2021-22
- Auditor's Annual Report
- Kent Police Chief Constable Audit Financial statement certificate post opinion 2021-22
- Police & Crime Commissioner Audit Financial statement certificate post opinion 2021-22
- Kent Chief Constable Accounts Issue of Audit Certificate 2021-22
- Kent PCC Accounts Issue of Audit Certificate 2021-22
2020/21 Statement of Accounts
- Chief Constable Statement of Accounts 2020-21
- Kent Group and PCC Statement of Accounts 2020-21
- Audit certificate for the Police and Crime Commissioner of Kent 2020/2021
- Audit Certificate for the Chief Constable of Kent 2021/2021
- Auditor's Annual Report
2019/20 Statement of Accounts
To view our Annual Governance Statement click here:
Annual Governance Statement 2024
If you need an accessible version of this, please download this Word version Annual Governance Statement Word Version
Public Sector Audit Appointments (PSAA) were specified as the ‘appointing person’ under the provisions of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014.
This meant the PSAA would make auditor appointments to relevant principal local government bodies that chose to opt into the national appointment arrangements.
The PCC and Chief Constable took the decision to opt in to the ‘appointing person’ arrangements made by PSAA and received formal notification of the appointment of the auditor in December 2022.
From the financial year 2023/24 Ernst and Young LLP were appointed as the External Auditor for both the Kent Police and Crime Commissioner and the Chief Constable for Kent Police for a period of five years.
To view our Treasury Management Strategy please click here.
Contracts, assets and liabilities
- Read the OPCC's Capital Strategy 2026/27
- View our Register of Assets as of 31 August 2025
View further details of contracts held: