Comprehensive Spending Review:Police staff consulted on redundancy
Thursday, 13 January, 2011
North Yorkshire Police have commenced a 90-day redundancy consultation process with police staff.
Running from 1 January to 31 March 2011, it initially involves high-level consultation with force UNISON representatives.
Senior managers will then undertake formal discussions with staff about how the proposed changes could impact on teams, units and individuals.
The decision to reduce police staff posts was prompted by the Government's Comprehensive Spending Review which led to drastically reduced Home Office grant funding for police forces.
In the next two years North Yorkshire Police will have to find savings of between £9m and £11m, and the funding gap by 2014/15 is estimated to be more than £19m.
As confirmed at the Police Authority meeting in December last year, the organisation will also oversee a reduction of police officer posts during a four-year period. As police officers cannot be made redundant, Regulation A19 of the Police Pension Regulations may be utilised to ensure those officers up to Chief Superintendent rank retire from the force on achieving 30 years' pensionable service.
Chief Constable Grahame Maxwell, who is personally leading the change programme, said: "The decision to make hard-working and dedicated members of police staff redundant is one that I had never wished to make. It certainly is not one that has been taken lightly.
"However, along with every other public sector organisations in the country, we find ourselves in unprecedented financial circumstances which has left us no option but to reduce staffing levels as part of our wider plan to balance the budget come 2014/15.
"I realise this is going to be a very difficult period for everyone concerned. I can give my assurance that the redundancy process and restructure will be handled sensitively and professionally.
"Despite the significant challenge that we all face, I am confident that the plan of action we have put in place will achieve our number one priority. That is to provide a high-quality policing service for our communities in North Yorkshire and the City of York for years to come."
Mr Maxwell confirmed that the Voluntary Redundancy Programme for police staff has been extended until the end of March 2011.
He also thanked the representatives from UNISON, the Police Federation and the Superintendents' Association for their continued support during this process.
Police staff and police officers are being kept up to date on the situation through dedicated internal communications.
