Norfolk has clear plans to meet its financial challenge for the spending review period. Importantly, the force is looking beyond this period and has already developed outline plans to achieve two-thirds of the £20m savings required over the next four years to 2017/18.
The force has performed exceptionally well in the first three years of the spending review. It has achieved the required savings while maintaining police officer numbers and improving performance. This can be attributed in part to its collaboration with Suffolk Constabulary. Norfolk’s success is also due to its considerable understanding of the demand it faces and the way it analyses and assesses this to decide how to provide policing effectively.
The investment that the force has made already to redesign the way it can provide local policing over the next four years, and the robust change programme it has in place – with a reputation for providing benefits – means Norfolk is well placed to meet future financial challenges. It has healthy reserves that provide it with a level of financial security into the long-term. Norfolk continues to provide a high quality policing service to its communities.
Crime has reduced over the spending review and the force has maintained one of the lowest levels of crime in England and Wales, while the level of victim satisfaction is high.
