GMP's finance chief has asked all its departments to try and make savings of five to 15 per cent. But the force insists the move is good practice and "not controversial".
The force has denied suggestions it is overspent despite a surge in high-profile policing since new Chief Constable, Stephen Watson took over last year. And it is currently in the middle of a huge recruitment campaign.
In the last decade the force was hammered by deep cuts which commanders said impacted on its ability to deliver services. In July government inspectors said GMP is one of five forces which remain in special measures. It was amongst a list of forces which have been escalated to an "enhanced level of monitoring" known as Engage.
Greater Manchester Police was placed in special measures in December 2020 after a watchdog report revealed an estimated 80,000 crimes had not been properly recorded. The scandal cost the then chief constable Ian Hopkins his job. The force is said to be improving although it remains in special measures.
Since new Chief Constable, Stephen Watson, took charge in June last year Chief Constable Watson, he has replaced almost all of his senior leadership team and now has ten new chief superintendents in charge of each district across the force. His 'back to basics' drive to turn around the force has seen high-profile action in every district under Operation Avro to disrupt organised crime, and target crime which blights communities including burglary, drug dealing, and anti-social behaviour.
The force has halved the time it takes to answer the most serious 999 calls, which last month was 29 seconds on average compared to 66 seconds in June 2021 following a £1m investment in call-handling, including 40 new call handlers. The number of arrests has almost doubled to 4,527 in May this year compared to 2,881 in May 2021, prompting GMP to re-open its custody suite in Bolton and it plans to do the same at Longsight police station. It has recruited an extra 43 custody sergeants. Mr Watson has pledged to step aside if has not got GMP out of special measures within two years of taking over.
One aspect which inspectors highlighted as a failing was the force not budget planning adequately for the next financial year and beyond. As a result Ian Cosh, Assistant Chief Officer at GMP, and Director of Finances, who was appointed in March this year has issued a directive to all departments and the ten force districts requesting reviews be made to save money.
Mr Cosh, who previously served with Lancashire Constabulary, where he became Director of Resources, is understood to have asked each department to seek savings of five to 15 per cent. But a spokesperson for GMP said: "GMP’s plan for improvement has been fully funded and scrutinised in accordance with due accountancy process - it is not overspent.
“Like every decent organization and police force, we have introduced an annual planning round this year to agree what future plans look like in order to best protect the public. This is not controversial. This is part of GMP’s plan for better business planning for the year ahead as identified by HMICFRS as an area for improvement. It is good business practice to ensure we are delivering an outstanding public service and ensuring the delivery of value for money.”
One serving officer told the MEN: "GMP finance bosses have started warning districts that due to the massive overspends this financial year that next year districts should be prepared for a 5-15% budget cut each.
"The chief constable has been in post for a year, spent more than is in the kitty, retention is awfully low, officers have up to 40 crimes to investigate with less than 2 years service, there's no support from supervisors as they don't have the experience or knowledge to support staff and recruitment is a mess."
But GMP say they aim to recruit 1400 new officers by the end of the year. But many of these will be replacing others being lost through retirement or quitting the force.
Earlier this month Chief Superintendent Rick Jackson, performance and improvement oversight lead for GMP, said dramatic improvements were being made. Speaking to elected councillors on the Greater Manchester Police, Fire and Crime Panel, he said: "All the signs are - and I don't want to tempt fate - that GMP will be released from engagement [into special measures] later this year."
He added: "The progress has been remarkable, but there is an awful lot of work to do. We are certainly not sitting back on our laurels." He explained how in late 2020 the HMIC identified 166 "causes for concern" or "areas for improvement" which were "not normal for a force" and were "too high".
Those causes for concern resulted in 120 recommendations from the inspectorate, but, said Mr Jackson, those recommendations have now fallen to 25 and were expected to be below 20 this month.
The Greater Manchester Police, Fire and Crime Panel has already agreed to the Mayor of Greater Manchester’s proposal to increase the police precept for 2022/23 to fund improvements to policing by 83p per month for a Band D property or 55p per month for a Band A property – which the majority of council taxpayers in the city-region pay (45 percent).
Mayor Andy Burnham, says the increase is needed to help make up for many years of funding cuts that has hollowed out GMP. Between 2011-19, the Government cut the grant they provide to GMP in real terms by £215 million, which has resulted in 2,000 fewer police officers, 1,000 fewer support staff and devastating cuts to other essential resources.
The precept increase, along with the central Government policing grant, will fund: Increased staffing levels in the force call centre that deals with 999 and 101 calls; 438 additional police officers, with 60 dedicated to road safety; the continuation of Operation Avro; a community messaging system so Neighbourhood Policing Teams can let communities know what they are doing and help identify local issues.
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