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North Yorkshire PEEL 2014

Efficiency

How well the force delivers value for money

Last updated 12/11/2014
Good

 

As a low-cost force, North Yorkshire Police has made good progress in reducing costs still further while retaining its commitment to neighbourhood policing.

North Yorkshire is on track to meet its financial challenge over the spending review period and in the year ahead, 2015/16. Importantly, the force has started to develop its plans for achieving savings beyond 2016. It has a level of reserves to support investment in its infrastructure and to provide some financial security through this period.

The force has carried out extensive assessments of the demands it faces. It has used these to distribute resources and reshape the way it provides policing, with neighbourhood policing remaining the foundation of the force’s policing style.

HMIC’s assessment is that the force is achieving the required savings today, while investing and developing an affordable way to provide policing in the future.

Questions for Efficiency

1

To what extent is the force efficient?

Outstanding

The force has formed an extensive understanding of the demands it faces by analysing demand across functions (local policing, crime and operations) as well as the demand into its control room. The force is effective in using demand reviews to determine its resource requirements for neighbourhood teams. This is particularly impressive, with a focus on crime prevention activity with partners. The force allocates a higher percentage of its officers and police community support officers to visible roles, and has achieved a higher rate of crime reduction over the spending review than most other forces. Victims report higher levels of satisfaction in comparison to most other forces.

 

2

To what extent is the force taking steps to ensure a secure financial position for the short and long term?

Good

North Yorkshire Police has clear plans in place to achieve £1.7m of the £4.3m savings required in 2014/15. It also plans to achieve £3.8m in 2015/16 against a savings requirement of £3.0m. The force already has a strong track record of over-achieving planned savings and any gap will be closed by achieving additional savings, under spending and the use of reserves if necessary. The force has already developed outline savings plans that extend beyond 2016, based on prudent assumptions, and a level of reserves that provide financial security.

 

3

To what extent has the force got an affordable way of providing policing?

Good

North Yorkshire Police has designed a way to provide policing that has successfully supported the achievement of savings for the spending review period. It is refining this further to support future savings. In order to achieve future savings, the force and the police and crime commissioner are exploring opportunities for a strategic partnership with a third party for staff retained by the office of the police and crime commissioner. The force has successfully increased the proportion of officers in frontline roles, and has plans to increase staffing in key areas, e.g., public protection and cyber-crime.