The months ahead will bring difficult times for Lincolnshire Police as the Force aims to balance its budget while still delivering a policing model that will keep the public of Lincolnshire safe.
Following the announcement of the Government funding settlement for policing, which did not deliver the fair funding that Lincolnshire Police had hoped and lobbied for, the Force has been able to finalise the budget gap it has to respond to – which stands at £14m for the next year.
Discussions around budget reductions have been ongoing for some time and now continue at pace as savings are inevitable.
Several difficult decisions are being explored for a future operational model and include:
- Reduction in police staff posts – numbers and areas are still being modelled
- Reduction of police officer numbers by around 200 to 1,000, to be delivered by 2028/2029
In addition to this, the decision has been taken to cancel the upcoming police officer intake for March this year in response to these financial challenges.
Chief Constable Paul Gibson said: “We have been working hard with Government and other policing stakeholders during the past days and weeks to improve the financial settlement, but at this stage no additional funds are forthcoming.
“We are facing some very difficult decisions and cancelling the next police officer intake is just the first of what is likely to be many to come. I do not underestimate the impact this is likely to have had on those planning to join in in March but, sadly, we have been left with no other option because of the financial constraints imposed upon us.
“No other definitive decisions have yet been made and the conversations we are having explore different options, all of which are based around what best protects and keeps communities in Lincolnshire safe and what meets our legislative and statutory obligations.
“Our police staff will feel the most immediate effects of these changes as reductions are inevitable and we are exploring every opportunity where we can feasibly reduce risk to our communities within our means, and deliver the very best service with the resources we have. We will also need to reduce our police officer model to 1,000 in the next few years. All of these are changes that will undoubtedly be felt keenly by our staff and the public we serve.
“I appreciate that people may be wondering how this will affect them and what level of service they will receive and as soon as we have made final decisions, I will make sure they are communicated and explained.
“The PCC and I continue to talk to the Home Office to try and find equitable funding and we will continue in those discussions to try and agree a more positive way forward.”
Police and Crime Commissioner Marc Jones said: “The financial challenge facing Lincolnshire Police in this and coming years are unprecedented.
“For many years our county force has been structurally underfunded – and while the gaps have been plugged with effective financial management and reserves that is no longer enough. The gap is simply too great.
“As a consequence the Chief Constable is facing incredibly tough choices about where services may have to be cut back or stopped entirely and how and where to deploy the reduced number of officers and staff.
“It is important the public understand the reality and the size and scope of the issues facing their police. Savings amounting to £14m this year alone rising to £20m in coming years must be found and that makes it impossible for the force to continue in its current form.
“I continue to try everything from lobbying to legal action to get this issue resolved with Government. I will never give up, our communities deserve that from me and we all deserve better from Westminster.
“However, budgets cannot be set on a wing and prayer so until the Government listens we have to create a service from the funding available. I have trust and confidence in the Chief Constable to do all that he can to keep our communities safe with the funding available.”
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