Resource allocation formula update

Report: 7
Date: 5 April 2007
By: Director of Human Resources on behalf of The Commissioner

Summary

This report provides an update on the application of the Resource Allocation Formula (RAF) in 2007/08.

A. Recommendations

That the report be noted.

B. Supporting information

1. Options for application of the resource allocation formula (RAF) were discussed at the Co-ordination and Policing Committee (CoP) meeting of 11 February 2005. Members agreed the structure and weightings of the formula to be used to allocate police officers between boroughs in 2005/06, 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.

3. The allocation agreed in February 2005 remains the basis of the distribution of officers between boroughs. The formula was agreed for three years and 2007/08 is the third year of its application. The allocation of officers remains as agreed in February 2005. Discussions regarding the re-construction of the formula in the future have yet to commence.

4. Commissioner’s Judgement was only applied to one borough in 2005/06 – Brent was awarded an additional 25 officers. This recognised the disproportionate number of homicides and gun and drug related crime taking place that were not sufficiently captured by the formula. These 25 remain in the allocation and this is the only area where the RAF allocation has been amended through the Commissioner’s Judgement.

5. Whilst the majority of the officers in boroughs are allocated through RAF, there are other streams of funding which support additional officers in boroughs which are currently outside the formula:

• Officers allocated through RAF: 19,378
• Counter Terrorism: 110
• Partnerships with boroughs: 99
• Total: 19,587

Police Officer Strength

6. Boroughs as a group were at a strength of 19,195 on 28 February 2007 compared to the target for the same day of 19,233. This shows an understrength position of 38 officers from the budgeted workforce target.

7. It is currently forecast that boroughs will be at approximately 19,355 on 31 March 2007 compared to the budgeted target for that day of 19,364. This would represent a marginal understrength of 9. Appendix 1 shows a comparison of the predicted strength to target strength by individual boroughs.

8. Police officer strength in Brent at 28 February 2007 was 669 compared to the target strength of 673. It is anticipated that strength will be 668 at 31 March 2007. The March recruitment intake includes 26 officers who will be posted to Brent in July 2007.

List of Abbreviations

MPA

Metropolitan Police Authority

RAF

Resource Allocation Formula

BWT

Budgeted Workforce Target

C. Race and equality impact

There are no equality and diversity implications outlined in this report.

D. Financial implications

The 2007/08 budget contains sufficient resources to build the strength of the boroughs to the full BWT of 19,679.

E. Background papers

None.

F. Contact details

Report authors: Majella Myers, Bob Gibb

For more information contact:

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

Appendix 1: RAF achievement update 28 February 2007

Send an e-mail linking to this page

Feedback