Comprehensive and authoritative, the latest academic report prepared by Cardiff’s Universities Police Science Institute shows that Government grants for local policing will fall by GB pound 1.36 billion – or 14% – over the four years to 2014-2015.
The report’s author – Dr Timothy Brain, former chief constable of Gloucestershire and ACPO’s lead on finance – is also questioning claims by coalition ministers that the cuts can be largely absorbed by ‘back office’ efficiency savings, with little impact on front line services.
Brain’s paper, entitled ‘Police Funding (England and Wales) 2011’, analyses the combined effect of last year’s Spending Review, the Police Settlement Grant and spending announcements unveiled by all 43 local police authorities.
Overall, there will be a cash terms cut of GB pound 1.2 billion from the GB pound 13 billion police budget by 2014-2015. However, the report finds that centrally-controlled security and Private Finance Initiative (PFI) budgets are relatively well protected. Most of the impact is on the funding provided to police authorities to deliver local policing.
Wiping out any gains made
An honorary senior research fellow at the Institute, Dr Brain confirms earlier estimates that the number of police posts lost in England and Wales by 2014-2015 will be in excess of 34,000, effectively wiping out the gains in numbers made under the last Government.
He also points out that police authorities have been given little time to phase in the cuts before the start of the 2011-2012 financial year.
“Ministers expect the brunt of such losses to fall in the so-called ‘back office’ but with as many as 16,000 police officer posts going, there is little prospect of the front line being unaffected,” asserted Dr Brain. “Police services and officers’ morale are both likely to suffer.”
He commented that the growth in police officer numbers since 2004-2005 has been principally to enable neighbourhood (or community) policing. “It’s likely that it will be in neighbourhood policing where the greatest impact will be felt.”
The report questions the effect of the Home Office’s claim that 2.5 million police hours can be saved through efficiencies.
“Not all the efficiencies may work in the way intended,” stressed Dr Brain. “For example, ‘light touch inspection’ might mean less work for the Inspectorate but not necessarily for the police forces themselves. Even if the efficiency savings forecast is accurate, it’s little more than a dent in the overall cut in numbers. Ironically, the most efficient forces will be hardest hit as they have the least room to make further efficiencies.”
Clarification of the police funding system
Dr Brain is now calling for clarification of the police funding system which masks true accountability. It presently involves the Home Office, the Department for Communities and Local Government, the Welsh Government and the local police authorities, and has 22 separate funding streams.
He said: “If the Government is serious about a ‘Big Society’ and greater public involvement in local issues, it must unravel the complexity surrounding police finance. We need to see the funding from all sources in an intelligible format. At the moment, it’s hard to say precisely who is responsible for the severe cuts we face.”
The report is the first of a series of online briefings planned by the Universities Police Science Institute. These detailed reports will deal with contemporary policing and justice issues and are aimed at practitioners, policy-makers and academics alike with an interest in the field.
Police Federation leader reacts to PM’s speech on changing the way the police work
Paul McKeever, chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, has reacted in strong terms to David Cameron’s recent speech focusing on proposed changes to the ways in which policing works.
“When the Prime Minister says his cuts to policing will result in freeing up police time and getting more officers on the street, he is wrong,” said McKeever.
“He talks about getting officers out of the ‘back office’ and back into our communities, but he hasn’t explained that these ‘back office’-bound officers are already providing an invaluable service to the most vulnerable members of society.”
McKeever continued: “These ‘back office’ functions include roles within child protection units, domestic violence units and surveillance. If these officers are put back in uniform and back on the beat, who will fulfil these functions?
McKeever predicted last year that riots and heightened criminal behaviour would happen at some point, but suggested that the Government didn’t listen.
“Now we know that we will lose over 16,000 officers across the next three years, and I implore the Government to listen to us and the requests of the public. Stop and rethink your proposed 20% cuts to policing.”
According to McKeever, the police simply cannot provide the same level of service to the public if it loses those 16,000 officers.
“The past week has demonstrated that violent behaviour can only be tackled by having more police officers on the streets,” he stated. “We can only protect the public if we have enough police officers to patrol our communities, so it is vital that the Government reconsiders the proposed 20% cuts.”
HMIC-recommended cuts would be workable
McKeever firmly believes that efficiency savings can be made and that the police could operate with the HMIC-recommended 12% cuts, but it will not be possible to protect the innocent members of society if the 20% cuts are imposed.
“The Government cannot underestimate the potential economic consequences of the riots in terms of loss of foreign investment and tourism to the UK,” he outlined. “The Prime Minister and the Home Secretary are giving the impression that it is imperative to the UK finances that policing is cut by 20%. However, the total savings to the Government amount to only around 0.5% of their total budget, whereas the potential loss to the UK through lack of confidence from abroad could run into many billions of pounds and far outstrip any ‘savings’ from police cuts.”
McKeever explained that the cost and devastation caused by the criminality and rioting last week could have a lasting impact on the economy if the Government doesn’t reconsider its proposals to cut the policing budget.
“Despite the refusal of Government to listen to the men and women who police the streets, we have seen unprecedented acts of bravery from officers throughout England and Wales,” said the Police Federation’s leader.
“Over 200 officers have been hospitalised and injured as a result of the ferocious attacks by rioters, but they remain more determined than ever to restore peace on our streets and protect innocent citizens.”
In conclusion, McKeever stated: “It is the support of our communities that keep officers going and we will do everything in our power to convince the Government of how detrimental the 20% cuts would be to the communities we serve.”