Summary - Shire Hall

2nd February 2026

A meeting summary, personal notes and comment. Authored by Cllr. Gareth Kitchen, SDC.

This article will form the basis of my brief report feeding into the Community Services and Licensing Committee at SDC.

Webcast of meeting.

Agenda packs etc.

Minutes (when published).

Proposed Gloucestershire Police Precept 2026/2027

These are the PCC’s recommendations for the 2026‑27 revenue budget and the MTFP (2026‑27 to 2029‑30) and he wants support for a Council‑tax precept increase of £18.50, giving a Band D Council‑tax rate of £340.58 for 2026‑27 (a 5.74% rise).

There is a budget gap of £2.3 m for 2026‑27 which will be funded by the higher precept, additional reserves use, and modest grant growth.

The numbers; overall grant increase 2.8%, pay award assumption 3% plus incremental drift. Council‑tax base growth: 1.15 % and general inflation: 1.70 %.

Medium‑Term Financial Plan 2026‑30. Police officers, staff, non‑pay leads to a cumulative funding gap of £5.2 m by 2029‑30. Savings identified of £9m in 2026‑27 but that £5.2m gap will need to be plugged by additional savings over the term.

Staffing savings of £7.6m (84% of total savings) in 2026‑27, mainly through vacancy management, overtime reductions, and the Mutually Agreed Resignation Scheme. Non-pay savings of £0.9m (including ICT efficiencies, contract renegotiations).

Planned use of £6.3m of revenue reserves in 2026‑27 (mostly for organisational change). General reserves would fall below the target 3% of net revenue expenditure, raising adequacy concerns.

Total capital spend: £40.2 m over four years (fleet, estates, equipment, ICT, ESN) funded mainly from borrowing (~£30 m)

CFO says the budget is prepared on a robust basis, but reserve levels are marginal and the organisation is exposed to funding and savings delivery risk. Ongoing monitoring of savings, careful vacancy management, and pursuit of additional funding will be essential to avoid fiscal stress.

Panel recommendations attached

The Panel didn't just wave the budget through. We attached recommendations and wanted regular work-stream updates relating to ICT, Estates and New Operating model. The panel also wanted info on preventative work to tackle inequity surrounding stop and search, use of force with genuine community engagement to improve trust in policing. More information on the rationale of this recommendation here. Also, this was picked up by the Stroud Times.

The bottom line

• Council Taxpayers: Expect a modest increase in Band D council tax ( £18.50) to sustain policing services.
• Police & Staff: Continued emphasis on efficiency, vacancy management, and an upcoming operating‑model redesign.
• Panel: Need to scrutinise the realism of the savings assumptions and the adequacy of reserves, especially if grant settlements fall short.

Update from the Police & Crime Commissioner

• The PCC's update was quite brief.
  
• Interesting question from fellow SDC Councillor Steve Robinson on Prisoners building homes. PCC says just one person driving the project and so many stakeholders it's difficult to make resilient. Looking to beef up governance. He mentioned that the council in Bristol has really embraced the scheme. I found this link.

Update from the OPCC Chief Executive

An out of cycle update from the CEO, issued before the whitepaper was released.

• Abolition of PCCs – The government plans to end PCC elections in 2028 and replace the PCC/OPCC model with a statutory Police and Crime Board (5‑11 elected members + 2 independents). This board will oversee strategic policing, hold the Chief Constable to account, and appoint a Policing and Crime Lead. Detailed arrangements await the police‑reform White Paper (expected Jan 2026, Royal Assent by Mar 2027). The report notes possible force mergers and broader regional governance shifts, and reiterates that victim‑and‑witness services will continue.

• Administrative Court ruling – Following a court case in Staffordshire concerning the recruitment of a temporary Chief Constable, the OPCC has sought legal advice and, confident in its current structure, does not plan any changes for Gloucestershire. Personally speaking, I thought the OPCC acted in a fully transparent manner regarding this decision at the time and during the process of appointment. It was unfortunate that the PCC insisted that those discussions remained confidential, I didn't think that anything discussed justified that demand which I had to submit to in order to participate in those meetings.

• Overall, the OPCC is preparing for the transition, engaging with local authorities, monitoring national guidance, and ensuring continuity of services throughout the reform process.