Durham PEEL 2015

The constabulary understands fully the demand for its services, especially from the public. It carries out regular and comprehensive assessments of demand taking into account threat, risk and harm, using information from a wide range of sources. It uses these assessments to ensure its resources are deployed flexibly to meet fluctuating and unexpected demand.

The constabulary is using widespread and innovative ways of working to reduce demand, often working with other organisations. It is fully committed to preventing crime and engaging with its communities through a problem-solving approach. This approach has helped the constabulary meet and often reduce demand for its services.

There is a robust performance management regime in place, with a particular focus on maintaining high levels of victim satisfaction.

Change processes are well understood with various methodologies used to review the way the constabulary provides services to the public and value for money. The constabulary is making rigorous efforts to support its workforce during periods of change, with various opportunities offered for them to shape the way services are provided in the future.

The constabulary is using IT to bring about greater efficiencies and increase effectiveness with realistic plans for future improvements such as the use of mobile data. All new ways of working are assessed to ensure they provide value for money and reduce costs.

The constabulary’s operating model matches current demand, organisational need and financial requirements.

The constabulary is taking effective steps to tailor its workforce plans to transform the way it will provide services in 2018; it has aligned its medium and long term plans to its workforce development and training plans. The constabulary has a good understanding of the level of skills and capability it needs to ensure it can meet current and future demand and is continuing to make a significant investment in training its workforce.

The constabulary is projecting a requirement to lose more staff, with the majority of reductions anticipated through a mix of voluntary severance and voluntary redundancies. HMIC is of the view that these projections are based on realistic assumptions. Work has already begun to ensure the current operating model can accommodate future reductions in the workforce.

The constabulary has detailed financial plans in place to achieve the savings required through to 2018/19, and has a strong track record of robust financial management in the past.

The constabulary regularly reviews costs and spending, while investing in areas that lead to reductions in demand, increases in problem solving and improvements in workforce skills.

The constabulary is maximising opportunities for additional funding and income generation which are contributing to its financial health and improving how it manages demand.

The constabulary has strong financial controls, a good understanding of current and future risks and is taking action to mitigate and reduce those risks.

The constabulary’s current savings plans prioritise expenditure to focus on the objectives in the police and crime plan and are not reliant on the use of reserves.

The constabulary has the capability, capacity and governance structures to achieve the required savings and organisational change.

This provides confidence that the constabulary will be able to achieve the required savings in the future.