"We won't cut officer numbers" says Police Chief despite funding cuts
Wiltshire Police is bracing itself to need to make at least £4.6 million in savings in the next financial year
Wiltshire's Chief Constable insists police officer numbers in the county won't be reduced despite an expected need to find nearly £5 million in savings over the next 12 months.
Catherine Roper has outlined how she intends to make some of those savings, which include reorganising command structures and reviewing the Force's estate.
It's due to an expected reduction in budget for the organisation, with Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), Philip Wilkinson, unhappy at the Government's funding settlement for the upcoming financial year.
Mr Wilkinson is calling for the public to back plans to increase the amount we pay for policing through council tax by £15 per year. We can complete a survey on that request here.
It's the second successive year that the organisation has been tasked with achieving more, or the same, with less funding. This year, the Force needed to find almost £8 million in savings, which it achieved through closing some unused buildings and reviewing it's fleet of vehicles.
Savings already identified
Writing in her open letter to the PCC, Chief Constable Roper said: "Whilst further details are to be provided, it is anticipated that Wiltshire Police will need to deliver a minimum of £4.6m savings for 2026/2027, in order to deliver against a reduced budget."
After a meeting with her Chief Officer Group to discuss financial planning in November, the Chief has revealed how she plans to make the required savings.
She said: "Our priority remains achieving these savings in ways that minimise the impact on our people and on frontline delivery.
We must continue to focus on the function of our organisation rather than its form, ensuring that we protect the quality of service we provide to our communities and victims of crime."
Areas where the Force intends to make savings are:
- Redesigning how Local Policing, Specialist Operations and Crime Investigations commands are structured
- Removing frozen posts - subject to appropriate scrutiny and consultation
- Technology and equipment efficiencies aligned to longer-term technology strategy
- Further rationalisation of our estate footprint.
The Chief added: "I want to be clear that we will not be reducing our police officer numbers."