Number 10 North has piled ‘significant demands’ on GMP

The comments were made in a public meeting on Wednesday (September 16) after a new report revealed GMP is facing a budget overspend predicted to hit nearly £10m this year.

A raft of measures are being taken by GMP to balance the books, including making savings and introducing ‘workforce controls’.

Kate Green said the situation is ‘not unexpected’ after a ‘poor funding settlement’ from the government, and that GMP’s finances are not the result of poor financial management.

The deputy mayor added: “Some of the pressures are new and arise out of the arrival of Number 10 North in the city region, which is of course very welcomed, but I’m sure you can appreciate the significant additional demands that that’s placing on Greater Manchester Police just across Albert Square.”

She said later at the meeting: “What I would say is that the mayor [Bev Craig] has said to me that it will be her top priority lobbying the Home Office to raise the issue of funding for Greater Manchester Police.

“In particular, we are very mindful that London, the Metropolitan Police area and City of London, receive additional funding through the National and International Capital Cities grant to support some of the pressures that we are now experiencing in Greater Manchester.”

A representative from GMP at the meeting said: “We got the second-lowest settlement for police forces across the country, which we did make representations to the Home Office on.”

Councillor Kevin Anderson added: “GMP is the second largest police force in the country, and as Kate mentioned, there’s the Number 10 North policing officer resource that’s been taken out as well.

“In the Wigan district, I’ve had comments made to me about the cost of policing and making secure the Prime Minister and his family, and that is certainly having a significant impact.”

Other costs contributing to GMP’s budget position were said at the meeting to include operations around recent moorland fires, and the ongoing wait for a £22m government grant towards protecting Greater Manchester’s Jewish community..

The Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) said in a report: “Once again GMP finds itself under significant financial pressure due to the operational pressures it faces.

“The early indication of a significant overspend was reported in May and June with the likelihood that it will worsen.

“This is now the position with a £9.8m overspend forecast. This strengthens the need to ensure that the remedial actions required to mitigate this continue.”

Some of the changes taking place include ‘review staffing arrangements, abstractions and overtime demand’ to manage custody and FCCO [Force Contact, Crime and Operations Centre] pressures, as well as ‘reducing overtime dependency’.

GMP said ‘operational demand is far outstripping the funding that comes through’ for the region.

Ms Green added: “The mayor will not want to reduce police officer numbers, the previous mayor did not, and the present mayor has reiterated to me her intention to protect officer numbers.

“We will use every possible mechanism for keeping costs down and seeking additional sources of income.

“But I will not disguise from the panel, it has been tough every year I’ve been deputy mayor, but this is the toughest year because we no longer have any fat to cut.”