Wiltshire Police faces £4.6m savings challenge amid transformation plans
Chief Constable shares plans for changes to improve efficiency
Wiltshire Police is preparing for significant change as it faces a financial target of saving £4.6 million over the coming year.
Chief Constable Catherine Roper has shared insights into how the force intends to tackle challenges while maintaining services to the public.
In the last financial year, Wiltshire Police made nearly £8 million in savings, exceeding its £6.8 million target due to unexpected operational costs.
But further cost saving is required as funding is set to fall short of operational costs.
Chief Constable Roper revealed plans to implement a broader transformation programme while continuing efficiencies in areas like estates, fleet, and staffing.
She outlined her cost-saving plans in an Extraordinary letter to the Police and Crime Commissioner earlier this month.
We can put our questions to the Chief and Police and Crime Commissioner, Philip Wilkinson, during a Facebook Live session this evening (21st January).
Strategy for savings and restructuring
Chief Constable Roper said that Wiltshire Police would not see a reduction in officers, maintaining its current count of over 1,200, the highest figure in more than a decade.
Instead, the force is reviewing its functions to ensure vital services are delivered efficiently.
“It’s function, not form,” Roper explained. "What are the absolute services we must always deliver to our communities to make sure that they feel supported to make sure that we're keeping them safe? And how could we perhaps design it a bit better to make sure that we can realise some of the efficiencies."
The Chief admits it's going to "really challenging", adding that it's a complex set of changes that are set to be exectuted.
She said: "This isn't about shift system changes and this isn't about sort of tweaks of people here and there. This is fundamental.
"It's about how can we deliver our business better to our communities, but make sure that we are more efficient and effective as a result."
Investing in technology and modernisation
Despite budget constraints, Wiltshire Police remains committed to technological development.
According to Chief Roper, technological advances, like improved control-room systems and the use of drones, have already helped the force respond faster and allocate resources more efficiently.
She has assured the community that investment in technology will continue, highlighting how these tools make the police more effective and improve response times.
Estates review and public access
The police estate in Wiltshire is also undergoing review as part of the cost-efficiency measures.
While some non-public-facing buildings have been consolidated, the Chief Constable emphasised that public access points have been extended or maintained.
She also noted the increasing use of mobile police stations, particularly valued by rural communities, which provide face-to-face contact where static police premises may not be accessible.
Chief Constable Roper reiterated her commitment to maintaining accessibility for Wiltshire residents, ensuring no reductions in public contact, whether through traditional estate points or mobile units.