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| A £3 MILLION underspend in Avon and Somerset Constabulary's budget will be reinvested into policing services. Jeremy Fox, the force's Director of Finance, has responded to media reports concerning the underspend. He said: "In January we forecast savings in 2005/06 of nearly £1m,which was taken into account for budget setting. "Therefore the further underspend equates to less than one per cent of the total policing budget. "When you are dealing with a budget of around £240m, it is inevitable that at the end of every financial year there will be a small underspend or overspend. "A key point that must be stressed is that, contrary to some media reports, the force will 'not have to say goodbye to it for good' in terms of the underspend. "The essential point to stress is that money saved last year will be spent on policing services this year. "Media reports have suggested we could employ 150 police officers with this money. "This is simply not possible as the savings made were one-offs, whereas the cost of extra police officers is an on-going cost to the taxpayer. "We will continue to spend in a way that ensures an efficient use of the resources which are allocated to us. "A review has been conducted into the forecasting arrangements within the force and the outcome of this is being implemented as a matter of urgency in consultation with staff affected and employee's organisations." |
| QUOTE (james789 @ October 13, 2006 03:58 pm) |
| A £3 MILLION underspend in Avon and Somerset Constabulary's budget will be reinvested into policing services. |