Northants policing plan reveals 'do more, with less' attitude

Chief Constable
Adrian Lee

A thirty per cent increase in resolved crime, more than 2,000 fewer victims of anti-social behaviour, higher levels of community policing than ever before - and all on a greatly reduced budget.
Those are the ambitious aims for the first year of Northamptonshire Police's new policing plan for 2011/2012 to 2014/15.The plan, drawn up by the force and the Police Authority, was published on Friday.
More than 3,000 people were asked what they thought were the most important issues in their area, with the outcome seeing seven objectives drawn up.
These centre around confidence in the force, anti-social behaviour and serious crime.
The plan also puts a greater emphasis on 'putting communities first' through community policing and customer led policing, streamlining performance and cutting back on bureaucracy.
Community priorities identified in the report included anti-social behaviour, drugs, violence and burglary.
The report says: 'Organised crime, gathering intelligence, public protection, hate crime, child protection, and other policing services, are vital and necessary to the people of Northamptonshire for the county to remain a diverse and safe place to live, work and play in.
'We commit to protecting the public of Northamptonshire.'
The seven objectives for 2011/12, which fall across three catagories are, in full:

Trust and confidence

1) Increase the proportion of the public who feel the police are dealing with the things that matter to their community to at least 80 per cent
2) Improve victim satisfaction with the overall service to 87 per cent

Anti-social behaviour

3) Reduce anti-social behaviour victimisation; paying particular attention to vulnerable victims, most serious anti-social behaviour and repeat anti-social behaviour victimisation by five per cent (about 2,300 fewer victims)

Crime and Policing

4) Reduce serious acquistive crime by 10 per cent (about 800 fewer victims)
5) Reduce combined total of violence with injury and serious sexual offences by five per cent (about 250 fewer victims) and resolve at least 50 per cent more of these crimes
6) Achieve an increased resolved rate for all crime of at least 30 per cent
7) Demonstrate value for money by delivering priorities within the reduced budget

The last aim is among the most significant. All the others must be achieved despite the force facing unprecedented financial pressures - a true case of doing more, with less.
The report states: 'The organisation will continue to evolve to ensure we can deliver more for less and to make the best use of our available resources.'
Over the next four years Northamptonshire Police faces a 14 per cent reduction in grant funding. With ongoing commitments, the resulting deficit over that period equates to more than £20million.
The 2011/12 budget has been set at £122.6million - the first budget decrease for 16 years.

Writing in the report, chief constable Adrian Lee said: 'We have no option but to make savings and improve value for money, however, we are committed to doing this positively, using the challenge as an opportunity.
"Policing is a people business and we want to retain as many police officers and police staff as we can to deliver services to our communities."
And police authority chairman Deirdre Newman wrote: 'We have a robust system in place to make savings and are exploring ways to deliver the same, if not more, services although with limited resources.
'We also have to consider the impact of the cuts on our partners, as this will affect our ability to deliver; however, the ‘Team Northamptonshire’ approach is still very much alive and we recognise that the best way to get through these challenging times is by us all pulling together.'
But despite the huge challenge both remain positive.
One benefit identified by the force in the report is a shift in target setting from the Home Office to the local area.
'Critically, our targets are now set locally with a significant reduction in performance measurement from the Home Office,' the report states.
'Removal of top down targets allows us to set a direction which is right for Northamptonshire and relevant for our communities.'
And Mrs Newham, speaking after the report was published, said: "2010 has seen significant improvements in public confidence in the handling of issues which matter to the residents of the county.
"We are keen to build upon this and other achievements and have set a number of targets for the force, which will be challenging but which we believe can be met."
But her comments in the report revealed another issue on the horizon; Government plans to introduce Police and Crime Commissioners to replace Police Authorities in May 2012.
'Legislation is currently before Parliament which would radically change the management of the Police Force,' she wrote.
'The proposals would see Police Authorities replaced by directly elected Police and Crime Commissioners in May 2012.
'Northamptonshire Police Authority is monitoring these developments and will be working to ensure that any transition will be as smooth as possible.
'Until then there is still work to be done and the Authority continues to operate a ‘business as usual’ approach, to ensure that we are able to keep our pledge of ensuring and maintaining the best and most cost-effective policing service for the county.'

To provide feedback on the Northamptonshire Police policing plan for 2011-15 or to request alternative versions such as large print, people can contact the Police Authority at:
 o 36 Billing Road, Northampton, NN1 5DQ
o 01604 887413
o http://www.northantspoliceauthority.org.uk/