Memorandum submitted by Norfolk Police
Authority
Whilst we understand that ACPO has agreed to
given a consolidated response on behalf of Chief Constables in
England and Wales, my Authority wanted to make a submission to
you direct. My apologies for its late dispatch. A hard copy is
also in the post.
We appreciate the opportunity to contribute
towards what is potentially an emotive issue. As you will see,
the Norfolk experience may well buck the trend in that we have
through appropriate but sustained increases in council tax, shrewd
financial investment, hard won financial savings, and income generation
initiatives continued to invest in the front line delivery to
the people of Norfolk.
Your letter posed five questions:
(1) "The number of police officers
& staff currently employed by the Norfolk Constabulary"
This figure currently stands at 1,665.98 Police
Officers and 1,414.89 Police Staff (including 280 PCSOs and other
front-line staff). These figures are based upon our most accurate
data set as of 30 September 2009.
(2) "How this figure has changed
over the past five years (including details of business areas
where reductions or increases have occurred if possible)
The following illustrates the change to these
numbers since 2004. All figures are based upon 30 September of
the relevant year to provide an accurate snap-shot. It must of
course be borne in mind that the police staff figures and their
increase do include a commitment to increase the number of PCSOs,
whose number have risen to 280 by year-end 2009.
| Police Officers |
% Change on previous year | % Change from 2004
|
| 2009 | 1,665.98 | 2.04%
| 7.88% |
| 2008 | 1,632.69 | 4.80%
| 5.72% |
| 2007 | 1,557.98 | -0.63%
| 0.89% |
| 2006 | 1,567.84 | -0.45%
| 1.53% |
| 2005 | 1,574.96 | 1.99%
| 1.99% |
| 2004 | 1,544.28 |
| |
| |
| |
| Police Staff |
% Change on previous year | % Change from 2004
|
| 2009 | 1,414.89 | 0.95%
| 30.92% |
| 2008 | 1,401.60 | 2.62%
| 29.69% |
| 2007 | 1,365.81 | 10.92%
| 26.37% |
| 2006 | 1,231.33 | 4.37%
| 13.93% |
| 2005 | 1,179.72 | 9.16%
| 9.16% |
| 2004 | 1,080.76 |
| |
| |
| |
(3) "Any comments on the relationship between
these trends, the most recent CSR funding settlement, efficiency
savings targets, the forces' overall financial position and any
other factors."
To enable the force to buck the trend affecting other forces
of cutting police numbers to balance financial targets, the Norfolk
Constabulary has been both visionary and progressive in taking
forward the Norfolk Policing Model (NPM). The implementation of
the NPM has enabled the maximisation of resources and increases
the opportunity for enhanced community engagement, management
and leadership.
We faced the challenge of reduced funding from the CSR, but
were determined to maintain and in fact increase investment in
the front line resources that would deliver enhanced confidence
& satisfaction to the communities we serve. We have striven
to drive home cashable & efficiency savings that have enabled
this investment in the front line. We have made tough decisions,
but have achieved remarkable success in terms of savings, whilst
at the same time reinforcing our front line services.
To date we have achieved some £14M in cashable &
efficiency savings over the FYs 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10,
equating to some 10% of the force budget for that three year period.
In addition we are on track to achieve further savings over the
next three FYs. For 2010-11, we have already identified some £6
million of planned savings, and a further £9 million, which
we are confident of achieving over the following two FYs.
Whilst making these significant savings, we have recruited
an additional 140 Police Officers to the establishment, giving
us the highest number of police officers in the history of the
Constabulary. Of that establishment, we have posted an additional
132 police officers to Safer Neighbourhood Teams and recruited
additional PCSOs despite Home Office funding being stopped for
additional numbers in 2007-08: upped from 197 to 280. These activities
have led to significant increases in our performance in terms
of confidence and satisfaction as well as crime reduction.
In part the question raises the issue of the forces overall
financial position. Norfolk Constabulary and Police Authority
have a proven and sound financial record. The Home Office efficiency
target was exceeded in FY 2007-08 and the current target of achieving
10.3% of gross revenue expenditure reduction over the three years
to 31 March 2011 (some £13 million) has been adopted as the
Norfolk Police Authority target. We are well on course as shown
above to rise to the challenges set.
We would argue that the significant support of the Norfolk
Police Authority has been vital in the constabulary's success,
both in terms of striving to maintain a higher than anticipated
precept, whilst being mindful of the ever present threat of government
capping. Also, for its support in enabling the constabulary to
place assets where they need to be—where they are visible
to the community.
(4) "An indication of likely changes to the
workforce during the remainder of 2009-10 and in 2010-11".
We are under no illusion whatsoever that the financial constraints
upon us will cut deep across the public sector. We have striven
to ensure that we are in a position of strength, to enable us
to tackle all that is in store. We maintain our position that
policing services will continue to deliver the required budgetary
savings, but wherever possible we will strive to ensure that this
will not be at the expense of front line services. There is an
acceptance that as the recession continues and efficiency targets
become more challenging to achieve, it would be foolhardy to say
that our officer numbers could be maintained indefinitely. However
this would be resisted if at all possible, and at this moment
in time there is no plan to follow the path to such reductions.
(5) "Given the apparent inevitability of public
spending cuts, which will undoubtedly impact on the police service,
what plans the force is putting in place to deal with reduced
funding."
The culture of this force has changed, with all staff now
focussing on efficiency and savings. Through Straight Talking
events, Focus Groups, and Team Briefings, everybody knows the
part they need to play in achieving savings. The following is
indicative of the journey so far, and continued work in progress:
— Reduction in police officer & staff overtime,
savings £1.1 million to date.
— Reduction in police staff posts, savings of £1.4
million to date.
— Restructure of corporate support, ICT, & HR Depts,
£0.7 million to date.
— Restructure of volume crime, and intelligence units,
savings of £0.5 million to date.
— Reduction in ill health retirements, £0.4 million
to date.
There are also considerable savings planned through collaborative
opportunities with our preferred partner Suffolk Constabulary.
A joint Major Investigation Team equated to savings of £621,000,
whilst a joint Witness Protection Unit saved a further £82,000.
There are further opportunities in train within collaboration
that once realised equate to an estimated saving of £2 million
in cash and efficiencies.
We have sought to capitalise upon the financial position
we are faced with by investing in the future. Our Long Term Estates
Strategy has been brought forward to invest in land and property
whilst prices are depressed. These assets will rise in value when
the economy recovers again. We have a greater buying power in
terms of fleet and equipment also, and have sought to achieve
best value from our suppliers. Each of these facets have contributed
to in our achieving savings and value for money. In fact these
have assisted in the recent Audit Commission (PURE) assessments.
Our score in 2006-07 was a level 2 (adequate) compared to 2007-08
when we rose to level 3 (consistently above requirements).
To summarise this response, Norfolk Constabulary has, with
the unequivocal support of the Police Authority, reversed the
trend displayed in many other forces; it has illustrated that
it is indeed possible to maintain & indeed increase officer
numbers, whilst at the same time increasing efficiency and performance,
all at a time when we face a demanding economic climate and increasing
cuts in budget. The Norfolk Policing Model has proved that we
can deliver sustainable services for the future despite a hostile
economic climate. Nevertheless, it is our belief that we alone,
nor indeed through collaboration (especially at the current pace),
cannot meet the longer-term financial challenges without affecting
police officer numbers. Ironically, we would be better able to
do that had the mergers gone ahead as proposed by Rt. Hon. Charles
Clarke MP when Home Secretary.
Throughout this letter I have used the term "we".
I make this point to stress that it is the statutory role of the
NPA to deliver an efficient and effective police force for Norfolk.
It is fundamental to our approach here that this must be done
by a joined-up approach from Constabulary and Authority. I hope
that the above, along with consideration of the enclosed "Parliamentary
Brief" (previously prepared for our Norfolk MPs), might demonstrate
how the Model could be extended beyond our boundaries.
November 2009
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