- Conference
- Police Staff Service Group Conference 2005
- Date
- 24 February 2005
- Decision
- Carried
Conference is concerned over the inadequate funding by the Government of Police Forces in the UK.
Forces are facing tight budgetary constraints with the introduction of new initiatives emanating from Police Reform, most only having time-limited resources to start the schemes and then leaving individual Forces to find funding for the future.
With about 85% of budgets needed to pay salaries, any likely cuts in Force expenditure will be from reducing the number of staff. The politically sensitive issue of reducing Police Officer numbers is linked to the baseline figures set by the Home Office, therefore making any possible staff savings coming from our Police Staff members.
Many of us have already faced the threat of redundancy, and this lack of adequate funding is forcing our employers into using fully fit Police Officers to perform Police Staff roles. Establishment figures should look at the numbers of Police Officers performing front-line duties, and for economies of scale utilise Police Staff to fill the back office posts.
With financial pressures being put on all public services Conference instructs the Service Group Executive to make representation to the Home Office with a view to introducing a fairer funding formula for Police Forces.