Comment

Representation ID: 364

Received: 12/01/2010

Respondent: Essex Police

Methodology for Calculating Contributions
The methodology for the calculating Standard Charges for policing infrastructure is set out below. This, along with a working 'formulaic' spreadsheet will be presented to the Council in due course, along with our other recommendations for the inclusion of community safety measures in the LDF policy documents. We shall also be approaching the LSP re: the SCS & LAA.

The police service is predominantly a population-based service and new infrastructure requirements are generated, mainly although not exclusively, by expanding populations associated with new development.

STEP 1
Derive an incident ratio per head of population, based on existing population, and projecting this into the future to determine likely number of future incidents arising from an expanding population.

STEP 2
Establish an acceptable ratio of incidents to police officers and support staff, based on delivery of an efficient and effective police service. This allows the need for additional staff numbers to be calculated, based on an expanding population. This stage provides a proportional link between population increase and the need for increased policing infrastructure.

STEP 3
Derive the additional infrastructure requirement from the additional staff quotient numbers required to provide effective policing. Accommodation/infrastructure needs are based upon a standard floor space and set up cost per officer and support staff. It is then possible to calculate costings per additional staff member.

STEP 4
To divide the projected infrastructure costs by the planned number of new dwellings to give a standard charge per dwelling. This figure requires adjustment to determine a new resident occupancy rate per new dwelling (on the basis that additional infrastructure requirements are population not dwelling driven) and a proportionate charge per new dwelling (see STEP 6).

STEP 5
To apportion the total cost per dwelling between residential and employment development based on policing statistics relating to the proportion of incidents relating to business uses against all incidents.

STEP 6
To adjust the standard charge per dwelling to reflect occupancy rates of new residents: This is achieved by dividing the projected number of new residents by the forecast number of dwellings to produce a new resident occupancy rate per dwelling. The cost per dwelling is calculated by applying the occupancy factor to the new resident cost. This figure is adjusted to provide a residential charge and a business charge, according to the ratio of residential to business incidents. The residential figure per dwelling is then divided by the average occupancy rate for dwellings in the District to give a proportionate cost per 'new occupant' which can then be applied to occupancy rates for various sizes of dwelling. The business figure is a new employee figure; a cost per unit of floor space can be calculated using floor space to worker ratios in conjunction with the incidents of crime ratio.

We have every intention of approaching the Council Planning Committee formally with a rationale & justification incorporating the legal & policy groundings; along with empirical data used to inform & support the methodology; and have various inputs for the LDF policy documents, whether they be emerging or adopted - for later inclusion in monitoring & revisions.

We therefore appreciate that this presentation may appear somewhat crude, however it is has been produced in the interest of meeting your S.106 SPD deadline by the 21st December 2009, and in light of recent conversations with the Planning Authority indicating that generic information would be appreciated at this time, as a detailed review will be carried out in 2010 - giving the parties time to consider the initiative more comprehensively. At this stage therefore, we are happy only to achieve the inclusion of Essex Police within definitions of 'public infrastructure provider', and recognition of our capital requirements to be mitigated by s.106 contributions, and for contributions to be sought on a case by case basis - until the tariff system can be adopted.

We request that due to financial circumstances, and in light of the importance of providing for community safety, that the Planning Authority inform us of major planning applications and we will request that you pursue contributions appropriately until such a time as the full initiative is operative.

Additionally we are in the process of assessing the impact of the Southend Airport application and will have requirements for Special Branch facilities and meeting the security implications of accommodating commercial flights. Please also note that Essex County Fire & Rescue Service will be making s.106 requests on a similar basis to fund essential capital infrastructure investments to maintain the standard of service in response to planned growth.