Transcript of this meeting [PDF]

that we need to have clarity on is exactly your second question which is, what ishappening to specific grants and how they will then affect the general grant position. TheCommissioner is absolutely right in that we will not get what the force allocations arethrough the grant formula in terms of the general policing grant, provisionally, until - weare hoping - first week in December 2010.Sir Paul Stephenson (Commissioner, MPS): Which I think answers question two. Asfor my choice of language, you can choose any one of these. I am absolutely determinedto do everything I can, as far as I can, to maintain operational capability. This is a sheerdetermination but I cannot say until I see what the money is.Joanne McCartney (AM): You are concerned that there is a risk? The language is thatI hope to maintain operational capability.Sir Paul Stephenson (Commissioner, MPS): Joanne [McCartney], this is going to be avery challenging period. Would I prefer that we are in a situation where there were notsignificant cuts to public sector budget? Of course I would prefer that. I live in the realworld. I am determined to do everything I can to protect operational capability but, untilI see the actual budget and the various strategies to use that budget, it would becompletely wrong of me to give hard and fast promises or guarantees. It would bemeaningless.Kit Malthouse (Chairman): Can I just say, on budget questions - I am conscious wehave got 45 minutes of our allotted time left - the budget is still very unclear so askingquestions about specifics on budget now will only ever get the answer, “We’re not sure”.In that spirit I have got Val [Shawcross] and then I have got John [Biggs] in terms ofbudget questions.Valerie Shawcross (AM): Just briefly, Chairman, to follow up the specific grant area, Iwondered if you had had any discussions at a political level about specific grants? Theremust be an issue about whether or not we are going to see the general percentage cuts orwhether there is some restructuring or some wipe outs and, if there is any indicationthere, I think we would be interested.Kit Malthouse (Chairman): Both the Mayor and I have had specific political levelconversations about the level of specific grant that London gets, not least, I have to say,with an eye to the Olympic Games. There are ongoing conversations and, indeed,correspondence around that. The phone is red hot. Fear not. We are getting a goodhearing from the Home Office around the particular risk that we face in 18 months andwhat we need to do to maintain that. So, yes. As I say, there is no conclusion as yetbecause those conversations are ongoing up until December 2010 because, from theHome Office’s point of view, it is working within an envelope that it has been given bythe Treasury and it is trying to decide allocation as we go. John [Biggs]?John Biggs (AM): I do understand your position of saying that you want to hold on toeverything if you possibly can but the problem with that approach is that it potentiallywww.merrillcorp.com29