Resource Allocation Formula update

Report: 4
Date: 4 November 2005
By: Commissioner

Summary

This report provides an update on the application of the revised Resource Allocation Formula (RAF) in 2005/06. This includes a review of the 2% cap and feedback on the use of the ‘Commissioner’s judgement’ post the completion of the Service Review process.

A. Recommendations

That the report be noted.

B. Supporting information

1. Options for application of the new formula were discussed at the Co-ordination and Policing Committee (CoP) meeting of 11 February 2005. Members agreed the structure and weightings of the new formula to be used to allocate police officers between boroughs, which included a 2% cap to ensure no borough lost numbers against its existing Budgeted Workforce Target (BWT).

2. RAF was approved for a three-year period. The Commissioner reported that Service Review would have a major influence on future resourcing decisions but that RAF would continue to serve as the principal distribution formula.

Application on police officer allocations

3. Boroughs as a group were at a strength of 19,418 on 31 August 2005 compared to the target for the same day of 19,276. This shows an over strength position of 142 officers from the 2005/06 budgeted workforce target.

4. It is currently forecast that boroughs will be at approximately 19,500 on 31 December 2005 compared to the budgeted work force target for that day of 19,276. Seven Boroughs are forecast to be under strength. Merton is the only borough forecast to have over 15 vacancies. However, they have received five officers at the recent posting panel and will receive eight probationers in February 2006. The remaining boroughs are forecasting to be over strength as at 31 December 2005. Camden has the greatest year-end forecast of 71 against their BWT. The Workforce Planning unit in conjunction with Territorial Policing constantly monitors the borough situation and if necessary takes action to address any shortfall and balance resources.

5. Boroughs are forecast to be over strength by around 300 on 31 March 2006, as a result of a slight delay in filling posts in non-borough units. The actual over strength position will be less as forecast wastage has not been incorporated into this figure.

Review of 2% cap

6. The cap was applied to enable implementation of the results with no borough losing officers. Effectively, by placing a 2% cap on some boroughs it meant that no borough gained by more than 15 officers. The sum of the additional number of officers required was 106, which meant that the cost of implementation has been contained to approximately £5 million (if capping had not taken place and the pure results applied it would have cost £7 million for the no loser application).

Feedback on use of Commissioner’s Judgement

7. Commissioner’s Judgement was only applied to one borough in 2005/06 – Brent was awarded an additional 25 officers. This was to recognise the disproportionate number of homicides and gun and drug related crime taking place that were not sufficiently captured by the formula. Brent are forecast to be 10 officers under strength at the end of December 2005. However, they will be posted nine probationers in January.

Any changes made, or proposed, to the construction of the formula

8. There have been no changes made to the formula or its application since it was approved by members at their meeting February. Discussions regarding the re-construction of the formula in the future have yet to commence.

Application of the formula beyond police officers

9. Although RAF is primarily used to allocate police officers it is also used to significantly inform a number of different resources. For example, Territorial Policing business group uses the formula as the basis for allocating police staff and the vast majority of devolved budget lines. It is also a key component of the vehicle allocation formula. Its usage, however, is not extended to other Business Groups due to the varied specialised activity they each perform and the less common comparability of their functions. Research in relation to activity based costing is currently being undertaken which may provide a basis for resource allocation for these units in the future.

List of abbreviations

MPA

Metropolitan Police Authority

RAF

Resource Allocation Formula

BOCU

Borough Operational Command Unit

BWT

Budgeted Workforce Target

C. Race and equality impact

There are no particular equality and Diversity implications outlined in this report.

D. Financial implications

The total sum of £5.02 million to fund the 2% cap was funded by the deferral of growth items, including £2.6 million of computer workstation costs. Subject to formal decisions on the 2006/07 budget submission, some of these items may be built into the budget bid for 2006/07.

E. Background papers

None

F. Contact details

Report author: Claire Hunt.

For more information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

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