The £19million shortfall faced by South Yorkshire Police in dealing with 'legacy' issues like Hillsborough disaster and Rotherham abuse scandal

South Yorkshire Police face a £19million financial shortfall in dealing with ‘legacy’ issues such as the Hillsborough disaster and historic child sexual exploitation in Rotherham.
By George Torr, Local Democracy Reporter
Published 27th Feb 2020, 11:45 BST
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Finance bosses under the police and crime commissioner highlight the ‘uncertainty’ in future central government support which has been described as a ‘significant risk’ in maintaining adequate reserves for South Yorkshire Police.

Reports show the force faces a £19 million funding gap in dealing with past events. The Home Office has supplied £110 million to SYP but legacy costs are expected to hit £129 million by 2024/2025.

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The two main issues are investigating historic CSE (child sexual exploitation) in Rotherham, led by the National Crime Agency (NCA) through Operation Stovewood and the Hillsborough disaster where 96 Liverpool fans died in 1989.

File photo dated 15/04/89 of Liverpool fans at Hillsborough, trying to escape severe overcrowding during the FA Cup semi-final football match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest. . Photo: David Giles/PA WireFile photo dated 15/04/89 of Liverpool fans at Hillsborough, trying to escape severe overcrowding during the FA Cup semi-final football match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest. . Photo: David Giles/PA Wire
File photo dated 15/04/89 of Liverpool fans at Hillsborough, trying to escape severe overcrowding during the FA Cup semi-final football match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest. . Photo: David Giles/PA Wire

SYP faces civil claims for compensation from both survivors of CSE in Rotherham and from the victim’s families of Hillsborough.

Finance bosses are concerned that the Home Office Special Grant funding has not been confirmed past 2021.

South Yorkshire Police’s earmarked reserves, which is planned to fund any legacy issue civil claim, are forecast to run out by 2024.

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Michael Clements, chief finance and commissioning officer at SYPCC, said: “Legacy issues are forecast to cost a further £129m to 2023/24, requiring £19m of our resources to fund the expected shortfall in Special Grant receivable under current Home Office rules.

“We remain in active dialogue with the Home Office to increase Special Grant to minimise the level of funding from the current policing budget to pay for the legacy of these historic events (such as) civil claims arising from the Hillsborough disaster and the cost of the National Crime Agency’s ongoing investigation into historic child sexual exploitation in Rotherham.

"The PCC and Chief Constable continue to actively lobby the Home Office to secure a more favourable funding position for South Yorkshire, recognising the unique reliance on Special Grant.

“Whilst the relationship with Home Office officials remains positive and supportive, no change to the funding rules for the future has been formally communicated to South Yorkshire yet.”