The reserves strategy is a plan which details how the Police and Crime Commissioner intends to use reserves. This became a requirement from 2018.
As part of the annual budget process the PCC considers and approves a strategy for General Balances, Reserves and Provisions. General balances are maintained as a matter of prudence.
They enable the PCC to provide for cash flow fluctuations and unexpected costly events and thereby help protect the PCC and Force from overspending the annual budget, should such events occur. Reserves and provisions are retained for specific purposes or for known future financial obligations respectively.
The PCC adopts a risk based approach to determine the appropriateness of the levels to be retained, including the minimum acceptable level of general balances. As a consequence, the Chief Finance Officer and Chief Constable review all balances, reserves and provisions as part of the budget setting process and again as part of producing the annual Statement of Accounts.
Reserve Strategies
Details of individual Reserve Strategies, including details of the levels of reserves held, planned utilisation of reserves compliance with Home Office guidance on police reserves can be found within section 3.6 (Appendix F) of the below documents for each year:
| Reserve Strategy | Document |
| 2024/25 | Budget Report 2024/25 |
| 2023/24 | Budget Report 2023/24 |
| 2022/23 | Budget Report 2022/23 |
| 2021/22 | Budget Report 2021/22 |
The level of reserves held at year end are also detailed within the notes to the Statement of Accounts.