Caithness Map :: Links to Site Map Great value Unlimited Broadband from an award winning provider  

 

Scottsh Police Authority Annual Report And Accounts 2017-18 Published

20th November 2018

Scottish Police Authority Annual Report and Accounts 2017-18 Published.

Report shows improvements in financial management, governance and transparency

The Scottish Police Authority (SPA) has published its annual report and accounts for the 2017-18 financial year.

The report sets out key developments in the performance of the Authority and in the operation of Police Scotland and details how £1.1 billion of public funds has been utilised to deliver policing to communities across Scotland.

In its independent reports out today, Audit Scotland has highlighted a number of important areas of improvement in financial and organisational performance including:

* a year-end resource overspend outturn of £34.3 million, reduced from the £47.2 million deficit included in the approved 2017-18 budget;

* robust budget monitoring arrangements now in place;

* new leadership teams in now in place in both Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority, and;

* the Authority now conducts its business in an open and transparent manner

Audit Scotland has also identified areas for attention including:

* further improvements in the overall control environment;

* delays in the development of a robust workforce strategy;

* the need for a well-developed performance management framework;

* the need for robust monitoring of the use of contracts for consultancy and external professional services to ensure value for money and the achievement of strategic objectives.

Susan Deacon, Chair of the Scottish Police Authority, said:"A huge amount of work has gone in to improving the financial and organisational performance of the Scottish Police Authority and Police Scotland - and that work continues. This year's Annual Report and Accounts, and Audit Scotland's independent reports, demonstrate that substantive improvements have been made. I am particularly pleased that Audit Scotland has noted that the Authority now conducts its business in an open and transparent manner. This was, quite rightly, an area of significant critical comment in the past.

"I do not underestimate the scale of the challenge which the Authority and Police Scotland still face, and both organisations are continuing to work through major programmes of transformation and change, not least to respond to increased demand, changing circumstances and continuing pressures on the public purse.

“I am confident, however, that we are now putting in place the people and the practices needed to build a police service which is fit for purpose, fit for the future and which commands high levels of public confidence and trust.

“I am determined to ensure that we work tirelessly to drive continuous improvement and so ensure that the people of Scotland receive the very highest possible standards of policing within available resource and that the governance and oversight of this service is robust and effective."

The SPA’s Annual Report and Accounts 2017/18 has today been laid before the Scottish Parliament and is available to view at the following link: http://www.spa.police.uk/assets/128635/293627/518982

The 2017-18 Accounts cover the 12 month period to March 2018.

The Scottish Police Authority has a statutory responsibility, under the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012, to maintain, improve and review policing. The Authority is also responsible for the delivery of Forensic Services.

The Authority has primary responsibility for ensuring the proper financial stewardship of a budget in excess of £1.1 billion and is responsible for establishing effective arrangements for governance that enables the successful delivery of its objectives.

The Authority also has a statutory responsibility to hold the Chief Constable to account for the policing of Scotland.

Police Scotland is the second largest police service in the UK and employs more than 22,000 police officers and staff.

Kenneth Hogg served as Interim Chief Officer of the SPA from November 2017 to November 2018. Hugh Grover took up the position of SPA Chief Executive, and Accountable Officer for the SPA budget, on 5 November 2018.

Susan Deacon was appointed Chair of the SPA in December 2017.

Iain Livingstone was appointed as Chief Constable of Police Scotland in August 2018.

The SPA has also today laid before the Scottish Parliament its Annual Review of Policing and is available to view from the following link: http://www.spa.police.uk/assets/128635/294812/518987

 

Related Businesses

 

Related Articles

Visiting relatives and friends this Christmas? Make sure your home is safe AFTER DARKThumbnail for article : Visiting relatives and friends this Christmas? Make sure your home is safe AFTER DARK
Consider carefully what you are putting on social media, especially if you are staying away to visit friends and relatives this Christmas.  Be wary of posting photographs of Christmas parties that contain images of high value jewellery.  
POLICE OFFICER RECRUITMENT - CAITHNESS AREAThumbnail for article : POLICE OFFICER RECRUITMENT - CAITHNESS AREA
Would you like to join the Police? Would you like to live and work in the Caithness area? Police Scotland is actively recruiting good quality and eligible candidates specifically for the Caithness area.   We are taking applications now for Police Constable / Special Constable Entry for future intakes during 2023/2024.  
£74m Police Budget Cut Will Make Communities Less Safe
UNISON, the union for police staff, says Scotland's police budget cut will see even more crime going unreported and crimes not being fully investigated.   The union says around 230 police staff could be cut, including fingerprint examiners, forensic examiners, 999 call handlers, custody staff, high-speed driving instructors, cybercrime experts, payroll, HR and IT staff.  
New Police Commander For Highland And Islands Division Takes OathThumbnail for article : New Police Commander For Highland And Islands Division Takes Oath
The new Highland and Islands divisional commander will take up post having been sworn in as a Police Scotland officer.   Chief Constable Sir Iain Livingstone welcomed and thanked Chief Superintendent Rob Shepherd during a ceremony at Police Scotland Headquarters, Tulliallan, on Monday, 16 January 2023, overseen by Justice of the Peace Gillian Thomson.  
Police Complaints, Investigations And Misconduct To Continue After Resignations
Gross misconduct proceedings against police officers should be allowed to continue after they resign from the force to promote transparency and maintain public confidence, according to a public consultation.   The move, which would see proceedings continue even if an officer leaves during the course of an investigation into their conduct, was among the recommendations of Dame Elish Angiolini's independent review into how police complaints and allegations of misconduct should be handled.  
Criminal Proceedings In Scotland 2020-21
The total number of people proceeded against in Scottish courts fell by 46% to 46,497 in the year to 2020-21, according to National Statistics published by Scotland's Chief Statistician today.  The number of people convicted fell at a similar rate, down 44% to 42,532.  
15 Further Call Handling Jobs For Police Centre In Inverness
Cllr Matthew Reiss, Highland Council's Strategic Lead for Police and Fire has welcomed Police Scotland's announcement that it has created fifteen new posts to further enhance the development of call handling services, based in Inverness.   He said: "We were delighted in October last year to welcome 25 new jobs in Inverness with the creation of a specialist call handling service team and these fifteen additional new posts based in the Highlands are great news.  
Changes to criminal court businessThumbnail for article : Changes to criminal court business
Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf has responded to the Lord President's decision to reduce the number of criminal trials as part of efforts to reduce the transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19).   The Justice Secretary said:"I welcome the Lord President's decisive action, which balances the interests of justice with the very serious public health challenges presented by the new variant of the coronavirus (COVID-19).  
Agreement urgently needed on police authority's functionsThumbnail for article : Agreement urgently needed on police authority's functions
Greater clarity is needed around the core functions and finances of the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) so that it can build a modern and financially stable police service.   A report on 17 December 2019 from the Auditor General highlights some progress over the last year amid a raft of new appointments to Police Scotland, including a new chief constable and three deputies, and seven new members to the SPA Board.  
New Drug Driving Laws To Be Introduced
Motorists face roadside drugs test.   Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf has welcomed Police Scotland's preparations for the introduction of new drug driving laws on 21 October.