THE office of Cumbria's police fire and crime commissioner had an overspend of £35,000 during the last financial year, it has been revealed.

Steven Tickner, the office's chief finance officer, presented the Financial Summary 2023/24 at a meeting of the police fire and crime panel at the Civic Centre in Carlisle on Thursday (July 25).

He told members that the overspend was mainly due to increases in audit fee costs of £43,000 and consultant fee costs of £28,000 following a review which was covered by a Home Office grant.

His report states: "The overspends were partly offset by underspends in staff pay (£32,000) and other minor variances totalling an underspend of (£4,000)."

And according to the report the office also had an underspend of £434,000 in its other budgets and the main reasons for this were grants and contributions of £291,000.

The report states: "[This was]mainly due to a Home Office grant for National Law Enforcement Data Programme (NLEDS), Home Office funding to reduce budget pressures for National ICT Charges partly offset by Apprenticeship’s funding, increased interest/investment income (£286,000) and other smaller variances totalling (£20,000) and provision for insurance liabilities (£163,000)."

Members of the panel noted the contents of the report.