Durham PEEL 2014

The force carries out regular and comprehensive assessments of demand, threat, risk and harm. The force has a strong focus on preventing crime through a problem-solving approach. A wide range of contact methods is available to the public; Durham has also retained staff at all public enquiry counters. The force’s performance is mixed. Crime has fallen over the spending review period, but not by as much as elsewhere. In the last 12 months, there has been an increase in crime compared to a small decrease in England and Wales. However, the rate of detecting crimes is high, as is victim satisfaction with the force.

Durham has clear plans in place to achieve all of the savings needed in 2014/15. It is likely that the savings needed for 2016/17 and beyond can be achieved, although plans are less well developed. It has a strong track record of achieving planned savings. In May 2014, it had already achieved the savings it needed to make by March 2015. It is now looking ahead and beginning to develop ways to make further savings, while investing to save in its estate and its use of technology, and securing the future efficiency and effectiveness of the force. The force has the capability, capacity and governance structures to achieve the required savings and organisational change.

The way the force has reorganised policing to the County Durham and Darlington areas has successfully supported the achievement of savings for the spending review, with a considerable reduction in its police officer numbers. However, it has protected frontline policing and increased the proportion of officers working on the front line. During the course of its change programme, the force reviewed demand across local policing. The way it allocates its resources as a result of that review means they are now used more effectively for neighbourhood policing. So far, it has achieved the bulk of the required savings through reducing pay costs. It has also reduced non-pay costs effectively.