Police Service Strength - Home Affairs Committee Contents


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





 
previous page contents next page

House of Commons home page Parliament home page House of Lords home page search page enquiries index

© Parliamentary copyright 2010
Prepared 26 January 2010