Police face "challenging times" over budget
Savings will come from cutting ineffiency and bureaucracy, force chiefs claim
CHALLENGING times lie ahead for Thames Valley Police, the force authority chief has warned.
Nevertheless, chief constable Sara Thornton said she was confident the service provided could be improved by reducing “inefficiency and bureaucracy.”
Thames Valley Police Authority today (Friday) considered its three-year income and expenditure revenue forecasts for the period 2012/13-2014/15.
This is the start of the process for developing next year's annual policing budget and council tax precept, which will be agreed in February 2012.
The revenue forecast sets out a balanced budget for the next three years based on current information, although there are several areas where income and expenditure projections are not entirely clear at this time.
The savings target has increased slightly to £39.7 million (previously £38 million) over the next three years, but the force has identified considerable savings as part of its Productivity Plan, which will now fully achieve the savings target.
Recommendations from the national Winsor report on police pay and remuneration could reduce costs by an estimated £12 million over the next three years while enabling a further 100 police officer posts to be redeployed from support roles to the front line.
Chairman of Thames Valley Police Authority, Khan Juna, said: “The three-year revenue forecast is an important part of our preparation for next year's budget. It allows the Police Authority to take a comprehensive view of its financial position and look at the issues we face for the remaining three years of the Comprehensive Spending Review period.
“These are challenging times for all the public services, but we are in a strong financial position thanks to the savings generated by the force's productivity strategy. Careful management of resources means that a further 100 officers are being redeployed from support roles to the frontline. We will continue to work closely with the Chief Constable to provide the policing services local people want.”
Chief Contable Thornton, said: “The forecasts we have discussed today provide a useful indicator of the levels of funding available to us over the next three years. Many details have yet to be determined, but I am confident we will continue to protect and improve the service we provide to the public. The budget proposed would see 100 officers moving from non-operational roles to the frontline.
“I have always said that we will maintain the visible presence of the police, and this year we have slimmed down our management structures and back office functions considerably. As a result I have already increased the number of officers on patrol and in neighbourhoods. We will continue to reduce inefficiency and bureaucracy, and target our resources on cutting crime that is of most concern to our communities.”
