This is South Yorkshire Police’s Statement of Agreed Policy on Corporate Finance. This policy relates to localised procedures only and therefore not supported by Authorised Professional Practice (APP).
Financial Administration, Credit Arrangements and the Administration of Debtor Accounts
The Mayor determines Financial Regulations and are owned by SYMCA. These are published on the Force internal website and governed at a strategic level. The roles and responsibilities of the Mayor, the Mayor's Chief Finance Officer, the Chief Constable and the Force’s Chief Finance Officer. This document is, supported at a second tier level, by Financial Instructions, which are in turn supplemented by detailed procedure manuals.
Whereas the Financial Regulations are owned by the Mayor, the Chief Constable owns Financial Instructions. These are aimed at Force employees and set out in a very detailed manner the processes to be followed and the levels of authority, which can be exercised by staff across the complete range of financial functions undertaken within the Force. There should be no area of financial administration for which guidance is not provided in this document.
The Debtor Account Invoicing and Collection Procedural Manual exists separately to Financial Instructions as, in part, its intended audience extends to those outside of the Organisation who, potentially, may wish to purchase goods or services from the Force. This is concerned with the provision of Special Police Services and the extent to which those procuring these services are to be extended credit or asked to pay in advance. In relation to the former, it is concerned to detail the Force’s processes for recovering sums owed. The document on Debtor Accounts details the process for formally raising invoices in support of income recovery. It does not apply to straightforward cash/cheque transactions where goods, licenses, reports, certificates and other items are, exchanged for receipted cash/cheques.
To regulate the giving of credit to external bodies where goods and services are, provided so minimising bad debts and hence helping to maximise the availability of resources to South Yorkshire Police.
Any queries should be addressed to the Head of Financial Accounts, Exchequer, Insurance, Risk Management and Assurance or the Exchequer Supervisor, Corporate Finance.
The associated procedural instructions that support these policies are listed below:
- Pi24.2 - Debtor Account Invoicing and Collection Procedural Manual
- Pi24.4 - Financial Instructions
Inward Investments
The term “inward investment” is otherwise referred to as “grant funding” or “external funding” and refers to that funding which comes to the Force from outside of general Home Office grant, council tax precept monies and fees and charges levied for goods and services. This document provides the instruction to ensure that such receipts are applied for, administered and governed in an appropriate and consistent manner.
The associated procedural instruction that supports this policy is listed below:
- Pi24.1 - Inward Investment Procedural Instructions
Risk Management and Assurance
Detailed practitioner guidance, in the form of the South Yorkshire Police Risk Management and Assurance Framework document exists, which explains the nature of strategic and local management as well as Assurance Plans. It details the procedures in place to, update, report and otherwise administer all Management and Assurance documents.
The associated procedural instruction that supports this policy is listed below:
- Pi24.3 - Risk Management Instructions