Dorset Police overspending could reduce its balances by £4.7m at the end of the financial year – unless it is tackled before then.

Figures from the force show that its revenue budget is currently around £1m more than forecast, although the sum is less than one per cent of the annual revenue budget of £157.5m.

A report to the county's police and crime panel warns: "If the variance is still adverse at the year-end this will reduce the General Fund Balance to £4.75m, equivalent to 3% of Net Revenue Expenditure. This would be at the minimum level of reserves. However, the Force are actively managing the position to reduce the forecast overspend by year-end."

For capital spending, the force is £8.5m better off than expected – although the reason is that spending on projects which were expected to be underway have been delayed, not started, or completed.

The force has a £25m capital budget with the largest proportion of it, 58%, spent on 'estate works'; 26% on ICT; 9% on general equipment and 7% on vehicles.

A closer analysis of the revenue figures shows higher than expected amounts going out on employment costs and 'overheads', between them amounting to £1,867,000.

A report notes that the force has a higher number of seconded officers than assumed at the start of the financial year and that the police officer pay award of £1,900 per person, or an average of 5%, was 'significantly higher than budgeted,' which also has an impact on overtime payments.

Although the force has been given additional money by the Government the financial report to councillors notes that it is not enough to cover all costs. Dorset civilian staff have yet to conclude a pay deal which is likely to lead to further financial pressure on the revenue budget.

The police and crime panel, which will meet on September 29th, will be told that crime levels in the county have remained broadly flat although there has been a slight increase in burglaries. The figures show a drop in cases of rural crime, anti-social behaviour and cases of domestic abuse.

While the number of 999 calls answered within 10 seconds stands at 81 per cent it takes an average of 16.5 minutes for a non-urgent 101 calls to be responded to.