The Resource and Estates Committee (Police) met on Tuesday, 10 February 2026, to discuss the City of London Police's financial and workforce monitoring reports, and to approve the revenue budget and project fund for the upcoming fiscal year. Key decisions included noting the Q3 revenue and project programme budget monitoring, and the Q3 workforce monitoring report, and approving the revenue budget and project fund for 2026/27.

Revenue Budget and Project Fund for 2026/27

The committee considered the proposed revenue budget and project fund for the 2026/27 financial year. This budget outlines the anticipated income and expenditure for the City of London Police, including funding for ongoing projects and operational needs. The report detailed the financial plans for the upcoming year, aiming to ensure the force's financial sustainability and its ability to deliver on its policing priorities. The committee was asked to make a decision on the approval of this budget.

Q3 Workforce Monitoring Report

The committee received an update on the City of London Police's workforce for the third quarter of the 2025/26 financial year, covering October to December 2025. The report, detailed in the Appendix 1 People Data Pack, provided comprehensive data on officer and staff numbers, recruitment, retention, sickness, and diversity.

Key findings from the report indicated that the force had met its officer uplift target in September 2025 and was on track to meet it again in March 2026, securing vital ringfenced funding. However, the police staff establishment was at 89.5% filled, slightly below the 90% target, with recruitment challenges noted, particularly the impact of internal moves filling posts. The report also highlighted a decrease in ethnic minority representation among officers, while female representation saw a slight increase. Sickness levels had risen compared to the previous quarter, with long-term cases accounting for over 50% of days lost, and mental health-related absence being a significant factor.

The committee discussed the implications of these figures for the force's ability to attract, recruit, and retain talent, aligning with Policing Plan Priority 5: Be an employer of choice. The report detailed ongoing work to enhance the attraction strategy, with a new applicant tracking system being explored. Retention rates showed a slight increase in staff leavers, with resignation due to better job opportunities elsewhere being a primary reason. The report also touched upon the progress of the Strategic Workforce Plan, aiming to build resilience in specialist areas such as firearms, custody, and detective roles.

2025/26 Quarter 3 (April-December) Revenue and Project Programme Budget Monitoring

The committee reviewed the financial performance of the City of London Police for the third quarter of the 2025/26 financial year, as presented in the FINAL - Revenue Project Monitoring Covering Report Q3 25-26 and Appendix 1 - Revenue Capital Monitoring Report Quarter 3 - 2025-26. This report provided an overview of the revenue and capital budgets, highlighting any variances and the overall financial health of the police force. The monitoring indicated that the Q3 revenue forecast was on track to achieve a breakeven position, a significant improvement from earlier forecasts. This was attributed to underspends in pay and additional income from the Home Office. The report also detailed key variances within the budget, including discussions around Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) income, which funds Asset Recovery Teams. Officers noted that the current funding model for these teams was only sustainable for one more year, with annual costs of approximately £2.1 million against an income of £0.5 million. The committee explored opportunities to increase POCA income, including activities related to cryptoassets, and noted operational challenges in this area. The capital programme forecast showed a whole-life outturn of approximately £54 million, with a significant portion allocated to the Fraud and Cyber Crime Reporting and Analysis Service (FCCRAS) programme.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting

The committee agreed the public minutes of the previous meeting held on 12 November 2025. These minutes serve as the official record of discussions and decisions from that meeting.

Other Matters

The agenda also included provisions for questions on matters relating to the work of the committee and any other urgent business that the Chair considered necessary to bring before the committee. A motion was put forward to exclude the public from the meeting for Part 2 of the agenda, which included non-public items such as financial plans, workforce assessments, and specific project updates, on the grounds that these items were likely to involve the disclosure of exempt information.