Force takes new recruits

Police and Crime Commissioner Paddy Tipping has announced his 2013-14 budget, making funds available to put more officers on the beat.

He plans for 150 police officers to be recruited in 2013-14, and 120 more every year until 2015.

In addition, 100 new PCSOs will be recruited by 2016.

Mr Tipping’s proposals will be presented to the Police and Crime Panel next Wednesday 6th February.

The amount of Council Tax paid towards policing will have to increase by 1.95 per cent - less than a penny per day - for Notts residents, to generate an extra £1 million towards the budget.

Mr Tipping said the increase reflected the Government’s cut in funding and ‘unfair’ funding formula.

“We need to protect funding for policing, not just this year, but in the future, in order to fulfil our pledges and objectives,” he said.

“We need to make sure that crime continues to fall in Nottinghamshire and you can’t do that by cutting resources.”

Assistant Chief Officer for Resources, Margaret Monckton, said the new recruits would fill vacancies that were expected to appear by the end of this financial year and replace individuals who are expected to leave next year.

“Since the funding cuts were first applied we have delivered savings through a combination of restructuring, better procurement, rationalising the estate, fleet reduction and collaboration,” she said.

“The work we have done has enabled us to deliver performance at a lower cost but we have also been able to build up reserves to allow for future investment.”

She said the new recruitment drive would help maintain and eventually expand the force over the coming years.

Mr Tipping said he was ‘delighted’ to have met his pledge to put more bobbies on the beat by working with Chief Constable Chris Eyre to achieve the savings.

He added: “People continually tell me this is what matters to them and I’m pleased that I have been able to meet my election pledges.”