The City of London Police Authority Board met on Wednesday 14 October 2026. The meeting included updates on policing performance, budget monitoring, and co-opted appointments to subcommittees.

Co-opted Appointments to Police Authority Board Subcommittees

Tana Adkin was appointed to the Economic Security and Cybercrime Committee for a term of two years, ending in May 2028.

Chair's Public Update

Tijs Broeke, Chair of the Police Authority Board, provided a verbal update. He highlighted that police reform was a significant focus, with an announcement expected before the end of the year following intensive engagement. He also mentioned upcoming engagements at the Association of Foreign Banks conference and with the Home Office.

Commissioner's Public Update

Commissioner Sir Craig Mackey gave a verbal update, highlighting two key initiatives. The first was the launch of the Sinbin innovation, aimed at deterring cyclists from running red lights, which had received significant media attention. The second was Op Winterproof, an NCA-led operation in Africa that resulted in the arrest of 30 fraudsters and the removal of 3.7 million online profiles, with intelligence provided by Report Fraud playing a significant role.

Policing Plan Performance Update Q1

The Board received a report summarising the policing plan performance for the first quarter of 2026/27. Councillor Deborah Oliver raised concerns about resident anxieties regarding terrorism threats, specifically drone attacks and missile threats, following a recent briefing from the head of MI5. She questioned how the police could reassure residents without causing complacency. Commander Chris Bell responded by emphasising the importance of preparedness, ongoing protect activity, and encouraging public vigilance through the Action Counters Terrorism (ACT) campaign. He also offered to deliver direct briefings to residents on these concerns.

Councillor Randall Keith Anderson asked about two areas flagged as red in the performance report: reducing losses to fraud and increasing asset recovery. Commander Bell explained that the fraud reduction target was an 8% decrease, and they were currently at 8%. He detailed efforts to address this, including the Operation Recall initiative, which aims to reverse fraudulent transactions at an earlier stage. Regarding asset recovery, he noted a 0.4% reduction, attributing this to difficulties in recruiting specialist staff within Regional Organised Crime Units (ROCUs) due to police reform uncertainties. He mentioned ongoing efforts like Operation Machinise to counter this.

Councillor Randall Keith Anderson also inquired about the timeline for accurate information from the NCAS system. It was explained that the new system, which replaced SAIP, was formally launched in January 2026, and the majority of data was expected to be available within 12 months.

Provisional Revenue and Project Programme Budget Monitoring Q1

The Board received a report on the provisional revenue and project programme budget monitoring for the first quarter. Deputy Chairman Jason Groves noted that the forecast underspend was expected to grow in Q2 due to confirmation of a pay award grant. He also highlighted future pressures around police estates and the need to boost earmarked reserves.

Councillor Randall Keith Anderson asked about the timeline for certainty regarding Ambition 25 and the cause of the Report Fraud shortfall. It was explained that negotiations with unions were ongoing regarding Ambition 25, with no definitive deadline. The Report Fraud shortfall was attributed to a residual funding gap after negotiations with the Home Office, which was expected to be covered by internal savings and addressing vacancies. The outsourcing of some Siam functions to a third party was also mentioned.

Other Matters

The Board also approved the minutes of the previous meeting and noted previous subcommittee minutes and reports. Apologies were received from Deputy James Thomson CBE and Alderman Timothy Hailes JP.