Watch as South Yorkshire Mayor does not rule out cuts after £65m shortfall uncovered in policing finances
The South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard would not rule out cuts in local policing during an interview with The Star as his office grapples with a £65million shortfall in police and crime finances.
The South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) inherited the accounts of the former Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) when the roles were officially combined in 2024.
Internal analysis of those accounts uncovered a £65million shortfall in repayments of borrowed money, approved in recent years to pay for things like police kits, vehicles and IT services.
When looking over the accounts the SYMCA finance team discovered £16m in repayments had been “missed” and a further £49m of repayments due to be paid had not been included in future budgets.
The Mayor said he was “frustrated” for the people of South Yorkshire, but said the shortfall was “fundamental human error”.
Watch the full interview with the South Yorkshire Mayor in the video at the top of this page.