CUMBRIA Constabulary faces a predicted overspend of £925,000 by the end of the budget year in March 2018.

Peter McCall, Cumbria’s Police and Crime Commissioner, was told at his Public Accountability Conference that it relates to an unexpected additional pay award, higher than forecast officer numbers and additional overtime as a result of high visibility policing in response to the raised terrorism threats.

“I welcome the pay award, which has been a one per cent basic pay increase with a one per cent bonus. This rightly reflects the hard work and dedication that our officers and staff do on a daily basis.

“We had budgeted for the one per cent pay increase but not the one per cent bonus. I am disappointed that funding for the bonus has not been provided centrally by the Government. I have expressed this disappointment directly to the policing minister Nick Hurd when I met with him recently.

“I am working with the Chief Constable to find a way forward to manage the situation. We are effectively half-way through the budget year and we will be looking at pro-actively reducing the overspend as much as possible.

"However, we have to be realistic and I am determined to maintain our policing presence in the county, and will consider all contingencies to deliver this.”