Minutes:
G Ridley, Chief Finance Officer provided the Panel with a verbal update on the provisional Government Grant settlement and its implications for the force.
The Chief Finance Officer provided the Panel with details of extra grant funding which had been allocated to Durham for 2019-20 and explained the budgetary pressures facing the force, including pension costs, salary increases, and IT costs.
Councillor Boyes referred to the extra £2.9m which had been allocated towards pension costs and asked whether this was a one-off payment. The Chief Finance Officer replied it was assumed that this would be allocated in future financial years because pensions were an ongoing cost.
The Chief Finance Officer informed the Panel that the Budget would be brought to the Panel in more detail.