Press Release

Mayor's budget guidance could mean difficult choices for police and City Hall
22-7-2008   384

The capital’s police service could face real terms cuts in its spending as a result of budget guidance from Mayor Boris Johnson, the London Assembly heard today.

Under questioning from the Assembly’s Budget and Performance Committee, representatives of the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) and Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) said the Mayor has proposed a 1.75 percent increase in their budget. 

The Committee heard that although there was not a reduction in the amount of money, the demands on that money was greater as a result of inflation, wage pressures and rising fuel and utilities costs. The MPA and MPS confirmed that they were planning for a 2.5 percent rate of inflation, and it was likely to be much higher for fuel and utilities, but lower for some other costs. 

The MPA said that it believed the police could do a better job on about the same amount of money and that it would squeeze maximum value for money out of the funding given to the MPS.

Members also heard that the Mayor’s budget guidance - calling for a 15 percent cut in the budget at City Hall - would be a challenge.   The Greater London Authority’s Chief Executive said that savings of more than 10 percent could not easily be achieved through efficiencies, but would mean the GLA would have to do less.  He said difficult decisions would have to be made.

John Biggs AM, Chair of the Budget and Performance Committee, said: “The GLA group clearly faces challenges in delivering the Mayor’s budget guidance.  Organisations should always strive to find more efficient ways of doing things, but we will be watching the Mayor’s budget proposals closely to find out what will suffer as a result of these cuts.”

Notes to Editors

1. The Committee were questioning representatives of the police, Transport for London and the GLA.  The following people attended:  Kit Malthouse AM, Deputy Chair of the MPA and First Deputy Mayor (Policing); Ken Hunt, Treasurer, MPA; Paul Stephenson, Deputy Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis; Anne McMeel, Director of Strategic Finance, Metropolitan Police Service (MPS); Peter Hendy, Commissioner, Transport for London (TfL); Steve Allen, Managing Director, Finance, TfL; Anthony Mayer, Chief Executive, Greater London Authority (GLA); Martin Clarke, Executive Director (Finance & Performance), GLA.
2. The meeting was webcast and can be viewed at: http://www.london.gov.uk/assembly/webcasts.jsp

For more details or to arrange an interview with the Chair of the Committee, please contact Lisa Moore in the Assembly Media Office on 020 7983 4228/ 07887 832 918. For out of hours media enquiries please call 0207 983 4000 and ask for the Assembly duty press officer.  Non-media enquiries should be directed to the Public Liaison Unit, Greater London Authority, on 020 7983 4100.

Terms and conditions

Accessibility

Privacy 

Freedom of information