Fife Constabulary budget outlines loss of 42 staff posts
Concerns that police staff cuts in Fife could have a serious impact on policing in the coming years have been highlighted as the force's budget for 2011-12 came under intense scrutiny.
- By Craig Smith
- Published in the Courier : 21.01.11
- Published online : 21.01.11 @ 02.38pm
With a 3.12% funding cut likely to leave Fife Constabulary facing a £4.3 million shortfall, the force admitted it had to axe 42 police staff to help balance the books.
Along with it came warnings that it may be the tip of the iceberg, with estimates suggesting a £4 million budget gap is likely in 2012-13, and possibly £5.8 million the following year.
The 9% cut in civilian staff is expected to save £1.1 million over the next 12 months, while £2.3 million will be carried forward from 2010-11 to reduce the burden on next year's finances.
However, such a carry-forward is unlikely to be available in future years and could signal deeper cuts down the line.
Yesterday councillors on Fife's police, fire and safety committee accepted the force's budget gap would mainly have to be met from police staff salaries, despite major efforts to control costs.
Those efforts should "buffer" the effects of the force's rising cost base-expected to rise by £3.9 million in 2011-12 due to increased costs, progression of staff on pre-negotiated pay scales and costs outwith the force's control — but it was acknowledged the cuts could adversely affect policing as officers have to fill posts vacated by support staff.
As well as staff cuts, other cost-cutting measures include a reduction in police vehicles and scaling back the police special priority payment scheme.
Chief Constable Norma Graham said the force had been looking at ways to be "leaner, flatter and more efficient" in recent years and stressed the cuts for 2011-12 were not as deep as anticipated, but she acknowledged they were still significant and suggested there was a real risk they would affect the "depth and breadth of quality service that local people value."
Community engagement model
That said, she underlined the force's commitment to the community engagement model, which has brought about some of Fife's best-yet crime detection figures and giving the public the best service possible-also highlighting how it had "delivered more with less" in the past year.
"We will continue to provide a service that's very much focused on the community and will protect and preserve frontline policing as far as we possibly can."
Her comments were backed by Deputy Chief Constable Andrew Barker, who noted, "We've tried to look at everything which will have the least possible effect on frontline service delivery.
"But eventually we will come to a point where it will start to have an impact."
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