The CIPFA Police and Fire Network held a virtual conference over two mornings on 17 and 18 March.
The one-year spending review of 2020 reflected the enormous uncertainties for the economy and public sector finances resulting from the coronavirus pandemic. This event set out to explore the scope of potential future financial issues for police and fire and rescue services, based on the latest economic forecasts and those for public finances. We considered the likely major factors influencing police and fire finance over the next few years, and the government's expectations, to gain a better understanding of the challenges and opportunities ahead and the implications for resources. We also considered the latest audit and inspection findings to inform our thinking when planning for the future.
The conference was chaired by Alison Dewhirst, CIPFA's Police and Fire Advisor, on 17 March and by Peter Gillett, Chair of CIPFA’s Police and Fire Panel and Executive Director of Commercial and Financial Services for Surrey and Sussex Police, on 18 March. We would like to thank all of our guest speakers and delegates for their participation.