Cleveland PEEL 2018

Cleveland Police doesn’t understand its demand adequately to inform the services it provides. The understanding that it does have isn’t sufficiently applied to its operating model and it doesn’t always use the most accurate data and information. Senior leaders don’t have a sufficient knowledge of the demand within their own areas, and the force doesn’t give them enough information and support in this respect.

The force’s understanding of the factors that affect demand is poor. It hasn’t fully implemented its operating model and doesn’t assess its processes well enough to make sure that they are efficient and effective. Through changing its processes, the force has created risks that it hasn’t identified or managed, and it is suppressing demand. It doesn’t adequately prioritise different types of demand or use its resources in the most efficient way, which means it isn’t able to provide its services as quickly as it should be able to.

The force actively considers more efficient ways of working with partner organisations and private providers. However, it doesn’t sufficiently understand the effectiveness of this joint working.

The force has a good understanding of some of its workforce training and accreditation needs, but not the skills and capabilities of the whole workforce. It doesn’t have an accurate plan to fill the skills gaps it has. Its people strategy and its annual workforce plan aren’t aligned to the financial plan. There isn’t a good enough understanding of current or future demand to inform the workforce plan, and there is no costed training plan.

The force is making improvements in how it uses technology to fight crime and manage offenders.

The force doesn’t adequately assess the future demand for its services. It has no basis on which to do this given the position with its current operating model. The force’s future model remains uncertain. Its strategic financial and workforce plans aren’t based on a sufficient understanding of demand. It also doesn’t understand what the public expects from its services.

The force needs to improve how it plans its future workforce needs. It hasn’t completed a full review and assessment of future workforce requirements. Its workforce plans (including recruitment, training and development) don’t take proper account of skills and capability gaps, the need to tackle inequalities and the lack of diversity through all workforce ranks and grades. It has restarted its recruitment to fill vacancies, but it will take time to get the capacity and capability it needs.

The force’s financial management is good. It manages its budget tightly. It is making good use of reserves and has made solid assumptions when planning its finances. This includes factors such as the increase in employers’ contributions to police officers’ pensions and an increase in precept payments. However, its financial planning isn’t based on an understanding of an interim or future operating model that aligns with a good understanding of demand, force priorities and future workforce requirements.

The force recognises that it needs to improve and it has begun a programme of change: Transforming Cleveland Police. However, its plans are uncertain, and they aren’t ambitious or innovative. The force doesn’t have enough capacity and capability to achieve the pace and scale of change required.