Memorandum submitted by Northamptonshire
Police and Northamptonshire Police Authority
Please find below the joint response of Northamptonshire
Police and Northamptonshire Police Authority to your request:
1. The number of Police Officers
As of 31 October 2009 we had 1,335 FTE Police Officers,
1,184 FTE Police Staff (excluding PCSOs) and 171 FTE Police Community
Support Officers.
2. How this figure has changed over the past five
years (including details of business areas where reductions or
increases have occurred)
As of 31 October 2004 we had 1,280 Full Time Equivalent
Police Officers, 960 FTE Police Staff (excluding PCSOs) and 23
Police Community Support Officers.
There has therefore been a 4.3% rise in officer numbers,
a 23.3% rise in police staff and a 643% rise in PCSOs. The key
growth areas during this time have been around our Protective
Services, Neighbourhood Policing and Professional Development
Units, which support the local delivery of training to Student
Officers (previously delivered by Centrex).
3. Any comments on the relationship between these
trends, the most recent CSR funding settlement, efficiency savings
targets, the Force's overall financial position and any other
factors
The recent funding settlements, combined with scaling
factors that have removed £1.8 million grant from our settlement,
mean that we have been unable to grow officer numbers as much
as growth in Northamptonshire demands. Consequently our officer
to population ratios are significantly less than most forces.
However, we have undertaken workforce modernisation,
which has been efficient and effective. This is seen in the increase
in staff numbers.
PCSOs have increased as a direct result of NPF
grant and partnership funding. Without this funding it would not
be possible to employ these numbers within core budgets.
In our overall financial position, council tax
capping has proved a significant problem—public surveys
regularly show that Northamptonshire residents are prepared to
pay 10% to 30% more in council tax to achieve more officers, but
we are unable to respond to this demand under the capping regime.
The efficiency targets do not influence policing
numbers per se; rather efficiency is part of our core business
and becomes the means by which we can create any growth, whether
in ICT systems, people or infrastructure.
Efficiency targets set by government become
a factor when settlement grant is reduced because of government
assumptions.
4. An indication of likely changes to the workforce
during the remainder of 2009-10 and 2010-11
The Force/Authority were intending to increase
police officer numbers in both 2010-11 and 2011-12 in response
to the housing and population growth agenda in Northamptonshire.
However, in the light of the current financial climate, this is
now unlikely to be delivered.
We will endeavour to deliver some increase in police
officers through efficiencies and use of technology; however,
significant reductions in police staff numbers are anticipated.
There is a high risk of reduction in our PCSO
numbers in future years if partners withdraw direct funding of
these posts.
5. Given the apparent inevitability of public
spending cuts, which will undoubtedly impact on the police service,
what plans is the Force putting in place to deal with reduced
funding
We are modelling a number of financial scenarios
based on varying assumptions regarding grant, council tax capping,
pay awards and interest rates. We would welcome announcements
on likely grant settlements as soon as feasible and either a lifting
of capping, or firm announcements on the level to give more certainty
to our forecasts. The annual capping guessing game which currently
takes place amongst Police Authorities is not helpful.
We are undertaking significant re-evaluation of our
business processes to drive out further efficiencies and we are
collaborating regionally or locally where possible. We are prepared
to invest to save in our processes and are reviewing our capital
programme with the aim of reduction.
Since around 80% of the budget is employee costs,
we anticipate significant reductions in staff numbers depending
on the level of public spending cuts imposed. Finally, we are
planning a targeted draw-down from reserves to assist shrinkage
over the medium term.
November 2009
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