Greater Manchester PEEL 2015

The force has a good understanding of the complexity and level of demand for its services that it currently faces and has commissioned work from a university to provide a more detailed insight into its demand. This work will inform a new force operating model aimed at making the most efficient use of reducing resources.

The force is currently able to meet demand with the resources available although the present focus on protecting vulnerable people is putting strain on those resources.

The force has established a number of initiatives to reduce demand, and identify and remove duplication of effort. It is committed to public service reform and plays an integral part in driving work with other local organisations, in support of the continuing move to increased devolution for Greater Manchester.

The force has robust arrangements to manage costs and is developing its approach to managing performance to better understand the link with outcomes for the public.

The force is developing new ways of working and is making good use of technology. It has plans to improve the use of technology to enable frontline officers to be more efficient and to improve interaction with the public.

In the main the force’s current workforce model matches its demand, organisational and financial requirements.

The force’s review of demand has informed the development of a new local policing model. This is being piloted in the Salford division, along with a new shift system, and the force intends to roll this model out across the force from early 2016.

The force has embarked on a programme of major reform to ensure that it is “fit for the future.” This covers four principal areas: local policing; support services; specialist protective services and information technology.

However, based on current plans, the force’s projected workforce model is not sustainable or affordable beyond 2015/16. Despite a reduction in the number of police officers, through leavers and retirement, and a plan not to recruit further officers, the force still has a considerable predicted savings gap in 2016/17.

The force has presented four options for a workforce model beyond 2016, all of which are at an early stage of development. There is an immediate need for the force to agree a model that will meet demand beyond 2016 within its available budget.

The force has a good history of achieving or exceeding savings requirements and has set a balanced budget for 2015/16.

The force has secured additional income to support work with victims and perpetrators of domestic abuse, an extended offender management programme, and raising awareness of and preventing child sexual exploitation (CSE). The force has also submitted a £2m bid to the College of Policing’s Police Knowledge Fund to extend research on the complexity of demand in specialist policing areas, such as roads policing, firearms and public protection.

The force has robust and effective financial controls in place. Pay budgets are held centrally and expenditure, other than from minor delegated budgets, requires the approval of the assistant chief officer.

The force’s financial plans are aligned to and support the objectives set out in the PCC’s police and crime plan. The PCC is provided with timely and relevant financial information and the force and the office of the police and crime commissioner have a joint approach in financial planning.

The force has a good understanding of its future budget requirements. At the time of the inspection, the force had identified predicted shortfalls from 2016/17 onwards, and plans to bridge this gap are at a very early stage of development.