The Police Services Board chair Dennis O’Connor says they will try to come up with additional savings after council didn’t approve their 2017 budget at meeting on Monday.

Right now, the budget calls for a 3.9 per cent increase and remains on the committee file.

O’Connor says further reductions means they will start 2017 in a deficit position.

He says short of reducing front line officers there’s not a lot of room to play with here.

O’Connor says they are down to 10 per cent of discretionary income to spend on things like building costs and purchasing vehicles and equipment.

He says this is not meant as a threat it’s just a statement of facts.

O’Connor says other factors include less than expected money from a WSIB payment,and having to pay suspended officers who aren’t working.

He says they have to replace that officer to serve the community and that also costs money.

Meantime, he says the numbers cited by a councillor at Monday’s meeting were up to date up to December 6th but are not final numbers for the year.

O’Connor says another factor is they were expecting a $58,000 WSIB payment that didn’t materialize.

O’Connor was also asked about comments made by councillor Mark King regarding the city possibly asking for a costing of police services from the OPP.

O’Connor says councillors can say what they want but surveys indicate the public is very satisfied with the service they’re getting.