Essex PEEL 2016

Essex Police is good at understanding its current and likely future demand. It has a detailed understanding of the full range of demand based on an extensive range of management information. The force has recently undertaken a comprehensive mapping exercise to identify all current demand (reactive, investigative and preventative) and predict (using software models) this demand into the future, based on local and national crime trends. It also has developed a sophisticated understanding of new, emerging and hidden demand.

The force regularly and effectively challenges itself to identify inefficient activities. Its transformation programme team uses demand and process mapping to identify and resolve such inefficiencies. Good progress is being made to evaluate likely future demand and develop its understanding of the impact, scale and likelihood of future risk. It is working closely with partners to understand the impact of reducing resources and the potential impact on services, and take action. This means that Essex Police is well placed to match its plans to current and future demand in the most effective manner possible.

Essex Police is good at matching resource to current demand. It has mature and effective processes to assess the cost of services in relation to the quality and level of outcomes. The force has improved its management of demand since HMIC’s 2015 inspection, with reductions in unresolved open incidents, and suspects still to be investigated. However, the numbers of both are still too high and more needs to be done to reduce them and keep them at more appropriate levels to minimise any risk to the public. However, the force does have a comprehensive understanding of workforce skills and the impact on capacity and capability. The detective capacity and capability of the force which was identified as low in last year’s inspection, continues to improve.

Essex Police has demonstrated a strong commitment to joint working over a number of years; the force’s collaboration with Kent Police is extensive, mature and expanding, and the two forces have ambitious joint plans for mobile devices later in 2016. Wider collaboration is evident through its membership of the seven force strategic collaboration programme, the Athena programme and with partners through a variety of programmes and activities. This means that the force is well placed to match its resource to current and likely future demand, and to make the most of technological opportunities and efficiencies in the future.

Essex Police is good at planning for future demand and its plans are ambitious but credible and realistic, yet while they are informed by a good understanding of its future challenges they are not without risk. The capital investment programme is heavily reliant upon the successful downsizing and disposal of the force’s estate and as such the successful implementation of its plans will be challenging. The medium term financial plan is based on realistic and prudent assumptions about future income, costs and benefits and it links to the workforce plan and planned increase in digital capabilities. Future investment plans are designed to achieve greater efficiency and service improvement.

Essex has a good track record of delivering savings, despite being one of the lowest-funded forces. There is an ambitious plan to 2019/20 to achieve a further savings requirement of £34.9m across a wide range of budgets, but mainly in the back and middle office functions. It is also aiming to realise major savings though changes to its estate. Essex Police has a strong track record of joint working, primarily with Kent Police but also as part of the seven-force strategic collaboration. If the force successfully implements all of its plans, it will have a solid and sustainable financial base for the future.