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Neighbourhood policing risks being 'eroded', HMIC warns Neighbourhood policing risks being 'eroded', HMIC warns
(35 minutes later)
Neighbourhood policing risks being "eroded" because of budget cuts, the police watchdog for England and Wales has warned.Neighbourhood policing risks being "eroded" because of budget cuts, the police watchdog for England and Wales has warned.
HM Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) said neighbourhood officers were doing duties that could have a "detrimental effect" on crime prevention work.HM Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) said neighbourhood officers were doing duties that could have a "detrimental effect" on crime prevention work.
Some neighbourhood teams were staffed by just community support officers. The HMIC report warned five forces would find it especially difficult to cope with further cuts after 2015.
The HMIC report said five forces would find it especially difficult to cope with further cuts after 2015. But quality of service had generally been maintained despite cuts, it said.
These were Bedfordshire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire.
'Good' response'Good' response
The HMIC report into police budgets largely praised police forces for absorbing significant cuts that had already been made.The HMIC report into police budgets largely praised police forces for absorbing significant cuts that had already been made.
These are expected to total a 20% cut in budgets by 2015 as the government reduces spending.These are expected to total a 20% cut in budgets by 2015 as the government reduces spending.
HM Inspector of Constabulary, Zoe Billingham, said there had been a "good" response overall to the financial situation but there was "considerable variation in the approaches taken by forces".HM Inspector of Constabulary, Zoe Billingham, said there had been a "good" response overall to the financial situation but there was "considerable variation in the approaches taken by forces".
She said: "In some cases this leaves us with concerns about how some forces will manage in the face of further cuts.She said: "In some cases this leaves us with concerns about how some forces will manage in the face of further cuts.
"We also have some concerns that neighbourhood policing risks being eroded as forces change how they deliver local policing.""We also have some concerns that neighbourhood policing risks being eroded as forces change how they deliver local policing."
Ms Billingham said neighbourhood policing was the "cornerstone of the British policing model" not a "nice to have".
Broadening the remit of neighbourhood policing would have a "potentially detrimental effect" on crime prevention work and "impair" the level of service the public received, the report added.Broadening the remit of neighbourhood policing would have a "potentially detrimental effect" on crime prevention work and "impair" the level of service the public received, the report added.
Pace of change Some neighbourhood teams were staffed by just community support officers, not fully-warranted police.
The five forces at risk of finding further cuts difficult were Bedfordshire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire.
The report said that West Yorkshire Police had left "large elements of its operation untouched" and South Yorkshire Police had not "achieved savings seen elsewhere".The report said that West Yorkshire Police had left "large elements of its operation untouched" and South Yorkshire Police had not "achieved savings seen elsewhere".
While Northamptonshire Police's approaches to the spending review had been "innovative", it had "struggled to maintain its performance levels".While Northamptonshire Police's approaches to the spending review had been "innovative", it had "struggled to maintain its performance levels".
Lincolnshire Police and Bedfordshire Police had also "responded well" but as smaller forces they might have "limited opportunities to reduce costs further", the report said.Lincolnshire Police and Bedfordshire Police had also "responded well" but as smaller forces they might have "limited opportunities to reduce costs further", the report said.
Pace of change
HMIC said most forces planned to balance their books by the end of the spending review period, while working to make 31,600 staff reductions by March 2015.HMIC said most forces planned to balance their books by the end of the spending review period, while working to make 31,600 staff reductions by March 2015.
The inspectorate said that police forces had generally responded well to the challenge of making savings, with crime levels down and victim satisfaction up. The inspectorate said police forces had generally responded well to the challenge of making savings.
It said forces planned to have 6,600 fewer officers working on front-line duties, but the number of front-line officers as a proportion of the workforce was forecast to increase. It said forces planned to have 6,600 fewer officers working on front-line duties but the number of front-line officers as a proportion of staffing was forecast to increase.
Chief Inspector of Constabulary Tom Winsor said: "The quality of the service to the public has been maintained as crime has continued to fall and victim satisfaction has continued to rise."
Mr Windsor said forces could make long-term savings and fight crime by investing in new technology.
The watchdog said it was also "deeply disappointed" with the pace of change on collaboration between forces which would help them be more efficient.The watchdog said it was also "deeply disappointed" with the pace of change on collaboration between forces which would help them be more efficient.
However, Chief Inspector of Constabulary Tom Winsor said some forces were operating so closely that it was akin to "merger by osmosis". However, Mr Winsor said some forces were operating so closely that it was akin to "merger by osmosis".
"West Mercia and Warwickshire are operating very, very close to a single force," he said."West Mercia and Warwickshire are operating very, very close to a single force," he said.
Falling crime
Steve Finnigan, of the Association of Chief Police Officers, said the report recognised how forces were "rising to the challenge" of meeting funding cuts.
He said: "All forces have delivered within budget for both years of the spending review so far. Chief officers and all of their staff will continue to work hard to protect and prioritise front-line services but those resources cannot be left untouched and numbers will continue to reduce."
The report was published as Office for National Statistics figures showed that crimes recorded by police in England and Wales had fallen by 7% in the year ending March 2013.
There were reductions in nearly all the main categories of crime including violence, but sexual offences rose 1%.
Separate data from the Crime Survey for England and Wales showed the number of crimes had fallen 9% since a year ago.
The Crime Survey is based on people's experience of crime and includes offences that are not reported.
Prime Minister David Cameron hailed the figures as "good news" at a time of police cuts and thanked the service for its efforts.
"We have asked them to do more with less resources. They have performed, I think, magnificently," he said.
The Home Office said the number of police officers had fallen to below 130,000, some 4,500 fewer than last year.