Less overtime and unfilled job vacancies were the main factors that led to the Guelph Police Services having an operating budget surplus of over $1.5 million last year.
A preliminary year-end report presented to the Police Board Thursday shows a surplus of $1,575,830, or 3.1 per cent.
The surplus was outlined in the 2021 preliminary year end financial variance report.
While surpluses are noted in operation variance and travel and training, the largest surpluses are seen in paid overtime and position vacancies.
GPS said paid overtime ended the year $168,000 under budget. In the report, the total number of overtime hours paid and banked were 26,898, reflecting a decrease over the prior year of 9,481 hours or 26 per cent.
For position vacancies, the report said surplus from permanent position vacancies including benefits was $2,067,000. GPS said savings resulted from full-time equivalents (FTE) being down throughout the year. FTEs were reported as below budget by under five FTEs by December 2021, with the largest decrease in positions noted under civilian FTEs.
With this surplus, GPS said it has written to the city’s chief financial officer to request that $1,575,830 of the 2021 year-end surplus be transferred to the Police Operating Contingency Reserve.
This reserve aims to be used for unexpected events or unplanned expenditures resulting in a budget shortfall and provide funding for one time expenditures that would otherwise cause tax rate fluctuations.
