Spending Challenge

With £24.5 million of savings to be found over the next four years, there are challenging times ahead for policing in Norfolk. It is inevitable that public sector funding reductions will affect the policing service delivered to local people, but the Chief Constable's priority remains the same - keep communities safe and keep Norfolk a low-crime county. The Authority will be focussed on monitoring the changes to come and ensuring that local people continue to receive an efficient and effective policing service which delivers best value for their money.

What is being done to address the financial challenges?

Norfolk Constabulary enjoys a reputation for being high-performing and works hard to maintain that position. The ambition, at least in the coming year, will be to broadly sustain levels of performance by seeking to minimise, as far as possible, the impact of cuts on the delivery of frontline services.

With such a high proportion of policing costs relating to staff, reductions in the numbers of police officers, police community support officers (PCSOs) and support staff are unavoidable. A recruitment freeze has been imposed which will help reduce salary bills as those who leave the Constabulary are not replaced.

The current approach to operational policing in Norfolk is being reviewed to assess its sustainability with fewer staff and identify options for changes in deployment across Safer Neighbourhood Teams and other areas of frontline policing.

Work is also well underway with Suffolk Constabulary and Suffolk Police Authority to collaborate on major support service departments, such as Human Resources, Fleet Management and computing. This is estimated to achieve significant savings across both forces.

Spending Challenge Information

1. Authority endorses Constabulary's plans to help bridge £24.5m funding gap

   The Members of the Police Authority today (12 April) endorsed Norfolk Constabulary’s proposals to help bridge a £24.5 million funding gap. The Constabulary and the Authority have a robust plan in place which seeks to realise savings whilst having a minimal impact on local communities.

2. Local People Question Chief Constable and Chairman on Police Budget

   Norfolk Police Authority held its annual Public Budget Consultation meeting on Thursday 20th January. With no increase in this year’s policing council tax being proposed, public interest in the consultation was instead focussed on how the Government’s funding reductions would impact on policing in Norfolk. The meeting, attended by close to 100 members of the public, provided an opportunity for those present to ask the Chief Constable and Police Authority Chairman questions, and highlight the areas of policing most important to them.

3. Norfolk Police Authority's Annual Public Budget Meeting

   A public meeting will take place on Thursday 20th January 2011 to discuss how the Police Authority budget for 2011/12 will be spent to fund the policing services delivered in Norfolk, and the impact of spending proposals on the Council Tax paid by local people.

   For more information about the meeting, please click the headline above.

4. Norfolk Police Authority and Norfolk Constabulary respond to Home Office funding announcement

   Monday's announcement by the Home Office that Norfolk Police Authority will have its funding reduced for the next four years was within the range of expectation, following a 1% reduction already imposed by the Government last summer. 

   Government funding will be reduced by around 5% next year and by a further 6.5% in 2012/13, whilst funding in the two years beyond is likely to reduce by around a further 3%. 

   Both the Authority and the Constabulary have moved to reassure Norfolk's communities that, whilst reductions in service could not be avoided, they would continue to work together closely to minimise the impact of the reduction in grant.

   To read more, please click the headline above.

5. Authority Chairman and Chief Constable respond to Comprehensive Spending Review announcement

   Earlier today the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced the outcome of the Comprehensive Spending Review and the funding cuts to be faced by the public sector to address the deficit. Chancellor Osbourne’s statement confirmed that policing budgets will fall by 4% year on year until 2014/15.

   In response to the announcement, the Chairman of Norfolk Police Authority, Stephen Bett, and Norfolk Constabulary’s Chief Constable, Phil Gormley, said:

   “Whilst noting today’s Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) announcement regarding the allocation for the national police budget, we remain uncertain as to the eventual impact on Norfolk of the Chancellor’s statement. We will need to understand the detail behind the headlines in order to assess what it will mean for policing in Norfolk."

   To read more, click the above link.

6. Police meet MPs to call for fair funding

   Today, representatives of the Police Authority, along with chief officers of Norfolk Constabulary, will meet with MPs to put forward their views on proposed policing funding cuts ahead of the Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review. In anticipation of the expected Government grant cuts, both the Authority and Constabulary are currently deliberating how they can save up to £35 million from their budget in four years.

   To read more, click the above link.

7. Norfolk Police Authority sets policing scene in anticipation of budget cuts

   The Authority’s Chairman, Stephen Bett, and Chief Constable Phil Gormley have written a joint letter to all Norfolk MPs informing them of preparations to police the County with significantly fewer resources.

   As a result of the Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review - the outcomes of which are expected to be announced imminently - the Police Service is anticipating substantial budget cuts as the country struggles to meet the public sector deficit. The letter and accompanying brief for MPs sets out the steps already taken in Norfolk to improve the efficiency of local policing and the considerable achievements that have resulted. It also highlights the difficult decisions that will need to be taken by the Authority and Force when faced with an anticipated funding gap of around £35 million over the next four years. The Chairman and Chief Constable warn that, with a budget a £147 million, whilst the Authority and Constabulary are working hard to identify ways to reduce costs and maintain services, the significant cuts in funding will result in the loss of police officers, PCSOs and police staff and inevitably impact on frontline delivery of policing in the County.

   To read the joint letter to Norfolk MPs and the Parliamentary Brief, please click the above link.