Notts Police ‘prepared’ for more cuts

Mr Tipping spoke out after Chief Inspector of Constabulary, Sir Thomas Winsor, said forces had mainly ‘done well’ with 20 per cent cuts in four years and more savings were likely.

He also said that through smaller police forces, existing officers would need to ‘work smarter’.

But Mr Tipping said: “In December 2014 the Home Office announced that overall police funding in England and Wales will be cut by 5.1 per cent in 2015-16.

“For Nottinghamshire, this equates to around £10m if you take inflation into account and I fully expect that we will have to meet further savings targets following the next comprehensive spending review which will take place after the new Government is formed later this year.

“I don’t know exactly what these figures will look like, but I’m under no illusion that they will be anything other than highly challenging and mean that the way policing is delivered will have to change.

“However, we know that change can prompt new and improved ways of working and as we announced last September, the force has designed a plan to enhance the way services are delivered while becoming more efficient with our resources.”

Sir Thomas Winsor said: “The police have already made, and done it well, cuts of 20 per cent in the last four years and they are facing cuts of a further five per cent next year.

“In some respects there are further efficiencies to be obtained, that is undoubtedly the case.

“Police forces need to work smarter because they will be working smaller.”