West Yorkshire PEEL 2014

West Yorkshire Police has a detailed understanding of the demands it faces. The level of detail, analysis and understanding of need in local neighbourhood teams is particularly impressive and enables the force to make the most effective use of its resources and serve local communities better. Through clear leadership the force has made rapid progress in finding IT solutions that improve productivity and effectiveness. Crime in West Yorkshire has continued to fall throughout the spending review period and victim satisfaction with the police is high.

West Yorkshire Police has a strong track record for achieving savings and is expecting to achieve more savings than it needs over the spending review period. Given the scale of the savings needed, at 20 percent of its total spending, this is a real achievement. The force has already developed outline savings plans that extend beyond 2016, based on prudent assumptions. Its financial performance over the next two years will determine the level of reserves available to provide a degree of financial security.

West Yorkshire Police has changed the way it provides policing in the last year to enable it to operate effectively with fewer resources. There is an emphasis on ensuring the long-term sustainability of local policing that will be affordable and work towards the force’s ambition of providing world class policing. West Yorkshire has made impressive progress since last year in developing and implementing the change programme needed to make the savings. The force continues to pursue collaboration within the framework of the Yorkshire and Humberside forces. Potential opportunities continue to be assessed.