West Mercia Police Authority

Chairman Sheila Blagg said: “Yesterday (Monday, 13 December), the policing minister
Nick Herbert gave further details of the budget cuts the police are facing over the next few
years. Looking ahead, reduced funding of around 20 per cent will present a significant
challenge that we do not underestimate.

“Even after the planned cuts we will still be spending more than £200m per annum on
policing services. That is still a substantial sum and given the strong position which has
been built up over the last ten years we aim to do all we can to maintain an excellent
police service into the foreseeable future.

“Throughout 2009/10 we began a major review to streamline services and drive out
inefficiencies. The savings we identified were significant. Difficult choices will need to be
made as we consider areas for further spending reductions over the next four years.
“Over 80% of our spending is on pay, so an overall reduction in our 4,100 workforce is
inevitable. We will endeavour to minimise the reduction in police officer and police staff
numbers by prudent management of resources and by streamlining processes so that we
achieve much of the savings required of us without reducing the effectiveness of our police
services.

“We may have to do things differently but we aim to continue our record of high
performance where it counts. In choosing areas for reductions and those to be protected,
the views of our communities matter. So today we are launching our consultation on West
Mercia Policing and are seeking views and suggestions from the public. Our consultation
runs until 31 January 2011.

“We need to know what the public value most, whether it is addressing terrorism threats,
fighting organised crime, detecting serious offences like murder, rape and armed robbery,
spending time on anti social behaviour interventions, or simply patrolling our streets and
providing reassurance. We want to hear the public’s views.

“We are sending a consultation leaflet to a number of public bodies like parish councils,
victim and witness support groups, local MPs and to Neighbourhood Watch groups. We
are holding public meetings around the force area in the second week of January and our
proposals are set out on our website at www.westmerciapoliceauthority.gov.uk. Please visit
our website and let us know your views.

Next year we are also broadcasting a live webcast which can be seen by visiting our
website on January 12 at 2pm. Join us if you can.“