Budget deficit

The CTCC have announced a budget deficit as part of their spending revue into the various budgets that circulate within the organisation. The fuel spending has increased by well over 18% of the forecast based on the budget forecast of the preceding financial period.

People who live in the real world know that inflation is definitely not currently running at 3%.

The huge increase in fuel costs mean that the Constabulary has decided to switch to cycles as the new mode of transport. The vast fuel budgetary saving mean that a fleet of response tandems will be rolled out across the Constabulary to maintain a double crewed response facility. These will be fitted with bells so the public will be aware in case of emergency high response journeys are undertaken.

An anonymous Police source stated that a number of converted rickshaws were on order from an Eastern base supplier and these were adapted to deal with violent or uncooperative prisoners as well give a high profile presence in the efforts to make the public feel safe and raise confidence. Some of these will have cages fitted to allow for a highly mobile and effective Police Dog presence as a valuable support response to front line officers. 

Specially adapted tandems equipped with saddle bags and panniers will allow for a continued armed response capability. We understand that unlike the normal single crewed response cycle having only 3 gears, the Traffic and Firearms response will be fitted with 21 gears and proper shock suspension units. Electric powered cycles are rumoured to be secretly patrolling the high risk areas with tasers constantly charging.

Supervisory cycles are to be fitted with hooters and carry a drinks bottle on the frame. Some will be fitted with an adapted front frame carrier where first aid kits could be carried.

The Constabulary has released a statement in which it confirms its commitment to green patrols and has assured transparency in reallocating the budget savings. We understand that all cycles will be fitted with pumps and a puncture repair kit. Lighting kits will be available with a flashing blue attachment.

Following on from the Smoking ban imposed last year, the redundant smoking shelters are to be converted into bike sheds accommodate all the extra cycles.

There will be a series of weekly strategic response cycling policy monitoring working group meetings to evaluate the new response system and to fight over where the budget savings are best used.

Nicola Jayne Lyons MBE

Congratulations to Nicki Lyons who has been awarded the MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list for her voluntary service to the Search and Rescue Dog Association of England and to Mountain Rescue.

Anti-crime incentives

At the CTCC, in partnership with other agencies and organisations, there is a new initiative to help cut crime and reduce the fear of crime in the community.

Modelled on the efforts to reduce smoking related illnesses from north of the border, here on the Britannia Estate efforts are under way to try to reduce crime by targeting the known criminals and offer them £50 of macdonalds vouchers a month is they promise not to commit any more offences of anti-social behaviour.

Local Insurance companies have formed a insurance clients cooperative and are actively recruiting the convicted burglars and asking them to sign an agreement not to commit dwelling burglaries for a period of one month as part of the pilot scheme that will pay them £100 per month to be followed by a further monitoring period of 3 months. If successful this can be extended for a full 6 months for a full evaluation.

Local shops and supermarkets have targeted the shoplifting fraternity to offer free, all out of date produce in exchange for not stealing from their establishment.

After the first two weeks of these innovative and radical strategies, the chair-person of the local ‘Look at me I am inventing stupid ideas to try to reduce crime and make our communities appear safe scheme’ policy group stated,  “these hair brained schemes are having absolutely no reduction in crime and the thieves are getting free stuff and free money.” 

One local resident of the Britannia Estate stated that they thought it was silly just giving money away to the criminals and thought they should get proper jobs like most other people. 

A source who wished to remain anonymous told us “This is like taking money from babies, I’d like to shake the twat by the hand who dreamed this one up. F+*:”*g great.”

Criminals, resident on the Britannia Estate, after being provided with the appropriate legal advice, have refused to comment.

Foundation Status.

With the CTCC applying for Foundation Status, the Dog Section is to be used as a bit of a pilot scheme to show how this new wonderthingy can be rolled out across the Force area.

Ken Jones, the president of ACPO is strongly in favour, apparently. He said it was time to consider “taking a few more risks” with the organisation of policing.

There might be a name change to the Dog Foundation Trust and the Dog Section assets will be sold off to allow for the resulting 2m cash surplus to fund new management facilities, meaning the the Force will not have to borrow money or try to use any private finance initiatives. Sponsored dog jackets could be the way forward. Where we will keep the dogs could be a bit of a problem. We might have to take all of them home now. Where will the boss go when he wants to squeeze his head in a bit of a hurry?

Last year the Greater Metropolitan Constabulary sold off the most of its Dog Section resources, including some of its buildings and land for £17.5m, helping it to make the largest financial budget surplus within its family of Forces. Someone will be pleased about this. I understand this will be modelled on the M’o'D leaseback that proved so successful for the company who bought the accommodation units and leased them back to the M’o'D.

“The very substantial gains from the capital sale of this prime central Metropolitan land will be used to develop a research and development centre,” said a GMC Trust spokesman.

Since obtaining a Trust status and selling off some of its assets, the trust had struggled to afford the rental of suitable buildings to house many of its staff, but said foundation status allowed it to explore “more innovative” options for future projects and the ability to realise financial procurement on an individual basis where prudent and necessary.

None the less, becoming a Foundation Trust has many benefits, including:

• Helping us to provide a better service for our customers;
• Developing and enhancing our services;
• Greatly reducing the need to hit Government targets;
• Reducing the need to submit duplicated statistical information for coloured charts;
• Involving customers, public and staff in shaping the future of the Force through the Foundation Trust membership and governor scheme;
• Providing the opportunities for even more meetings;
• Raising capital money without going through current Government approvals processes;
• Retaining financial surpluses made during a financial year.
• Freedom to decide locally how to meet their obligations;
• Accountable to local people who can become members or governors;
• Authorised and monitored by Monitor who has a special badge.
• Becoming a Foundation Trust will benefit our stakeholders and partner organisations.

The pixie dust is settling at the first of the public consultation meetings. I understand they have nice biscuits on the table.

 

Lacking ambition………..

When I joined the lofty heights of the CTCC I had this strange and weird ambition. I was faced with the prospect of having to join the Police in my ambition to be a dog handler.

Apart from my first two years of mostly foot patrol on a variety of beats which allowed me to get to build up my local knowledge within the community and build my experience base within my new chosen profession, or vocation. I later got the opportunities to get around in cars and because cars were the thing, continue to respond to incidents within the community and get on with building my skills and experience base. I was able to voice my interest in my chosen career development path and every year when the annual staff appraisal season got under way, I could reaffirm my interest and come up with all the new and stunning reasons why I should be given the chance to get onto the dogs.

Every year I can recall a Chief Inspector or Superintendent showing their apparent surprise at my lack of ambition in not wanting to follow the flock and get onto the rungs, just like themselves. I was told the same old tale, just like the needle stuck in the same groove of the record. I would and could go far. Rank progression is the way forward. There is more to Policing than working on the streets.

I was fortunate and eventually did get the position I wanted. It took time, determination and a will to perservere to step into the once hallowed halls where the dead man’s shoes appeared to get stored.  Dog handlers seem to want to be dog handlers for the most part. After all that is why we put ourselves into the frame in the first place. It also keeps us on the streets, in touch with what is going on.  We may have a problem building the charges for a full file but this is not what we are wanted for by our most valuable customers, the response teams.

I, like some others, did not decide to be a dog handler just this month, because the winds of career change blew from a different direction or even as part of a means of acquiring some non-response status. I decided at an early stage that this was the role job what I wanted to do. This was my ambition. I had to join the Police to do it and had to prove myself at a load of other things first. These I did. I got the chance to support 24/7 operational officers with my own kind of specialist support and cared about this support I gave.

Prior to, my annual staff appraisals continued. I was always asked the same questions about the rungs. When I got told that I lacked ambition because I did not want to do something else that someone else thinks I should do, I have a message that I cannot repeat. The ladder is for those who want to climb. I did not.

This confirmed that we had some managers, who have ceased any practical grip on Police work in the operational environment a long time past, who simply refused to listen to what an individual has to say and always think they know better, because the benefit of rank gives them all sorts of inner understanding of so many extra things.

They listen, but fail to hear. They see, but only a selective part of the picture. They make decisions, claiming to be aware of the bigger picture but only the bit representative of their remit or area of responsibility. Part of this responsibility included  some form of delusional ramblings about the way forward and up the ladder.

Not everyone wants to get promoted. Most of the officers I know do not, are not capable or see the signs of a greater removal from the public arena. There is a big change on the way. The educated masses that appear to be coming through the ranks of the CTCC are changing all of that. The only thing I feel sorry for is the fact that so, so many of them are going to be disappointed and simply not get there.

Why ?       There are only so many management posts for the educated masses to fill.

Promotion………………..leave it to those who want to get promoted and can tick all the right boxes, presumably in the right order as well.

You can fit only so much ambition into a very small pot. Someone is bound to be disappointed. 

Investing in people ?

The Specialist Support Services Department at the CTCC has been awarded the Investing in People award.

I can hardly contain myself. My joy overflows and my little chest is heaving with pride at the thought of this marvellous award.

Exactly what does this all mean ?  I have no idea, so I thought I would cut through the corporate bullshit and do some research to find out what this this is all about.

 

The Investors in People Standard has been radically overhauled and updated to be more challenging and relevant to the modern organisation. What does the new Standard look like? The new Standard focuses on a range of people management issues, such as employee involvement and empowerment, reward and recognition The capability of leaders and managers is more closely measured Setting and communicating aims and objectives is now much more important The assessor will be looking to see how you plan to measure the impact of learning and development upon performance Robust evaluation is now essential There is no requirement for any form filling or paperwork.

I can hardly contain myself.

Developing Strategies to Improve the Performance of the Organisation

An Investor in People develops effective strategies to improve the performance of the organisation through its people.

1. Business Strategy - A strategy for improving the performance of the organisation is clearly defined and understood

2. Learning & Development Strategy - Learning and development is planned to help achieve the organisation’s objectives

3. People Management Strategy - Strategies for managing people are designed to promote quality of opportunity in the development of the organisations people

4. Leadership & Management Strategy - The capabilities managers need to lead, manage and develop people effectively are clearly defined and understood

Taking Action to Improve the Performance of the Organisation

5. Management Effectiveness - Managers are effective in leading, managing and developing people

6. Recognition and Reward - People’s contributions to the organisation are recognised and valued

7. Involvement and Empowerment - People are encouraged to take ownership and responsibility by being involved in decision-making

8. Learning and Development - People learn and develop effectively

Evaluating the Impact of the Performance of the Organisation

9. Performance Measurement - Investment in people improves the performance of the organisation

10. Continuous Improvement - Improvements are continually made to the way people are managed and developed

I can hardly contain myself.

I am struggling to see when number 6 fits into all of this.

What’s in it for Me?
Employees in organisations that have achieved the Standard may see benefits such as:

• A good working environment
• Recognition and development
• Pride in being part of a successful organisation
• Good quality training when required
• Improved job satisfaction
• Better communication
• Skill and career development opportunities
• Increased responsibility and involvement
• Health and safety gains.

How Does it Work?
The supply of goods and services depends upon people. It is clear that the better the people, the better the business. Therefore, the most important investment any organisation makes is in the people who work for it.

• Everyone in the organisation must:

• Know, understand and have agreed what is required of their job
• Know how to do the job and why they are important
• Have the necessary materials, tools, training and information to do the job well
• Be able to measure how well they are doing
• Know what to do when things go wrong
• Work within systems and guidelines designed to help, not hinder
• Be led and guided by managers

 It’s all very simple and straightforward. It’s extremely effective and results are beneficial all round.

I can hardly contain myself.

Your Role in the Organisation
Your employer already believes that you and your colleagues are its best assets. Your line manager also realises that no-one knows more about your job than you do. Therefore, when you work for an Investor in People organisation you will be able to make contributions and comments in ways such as:

• Team meetings and briefings
• Suggestions schemes
• Quality circles
• Action teams

You will be encouraged to put forward your ideas at any time.

It has suddenly all become clear. I can hardly contain myself.

In the wrong job.

As the fine weather finally begins to take its toll on my four legged friend and I, I am clearly under the impression that I might be in the wrong job. We have had our ties off recently because the big bosses think we need the relief and we really do.

Whilst driving around it is clear that far too many people are lounging and lazing about for far too much of the day.

We have the clear signs of the fine weather with the usual gatherings that signify the arrival of what is often called summer. If the sun shines for more than a week then summer has truly arrived.

I have also noticed that there are an alarming number of people who seem to find small gaps in their otherwise hectic calenders for a daily dose of alcohol consumption at a local hostelry. The historic and aptly named ‘Inn on the Green’ at the centre of the hub of the universe that is the Britannia Estate regularly boasts, amongst its clientele, a seemingly endless supply of regular drinkers who like nothing better than a late morning and all afternoon drink to accompany their endless cigarettes in an effort to avoid the dangers of dehydration in the afternoon sun, before they make off home for some late lunch and regain their energy for the evening session. The logo emblazoned T-shirts are put back on once they bid their noisy, yet cheery goodbyes to theirsuitably imbibed peers and head off home, where the dress code of T-shirts on,  is strictly enforced by she who gets the dinners on the table and must be obeyed every now and again. I can only imagine the next step. Tinnies from the fridge, plasma screen on, watch the footy before the after match analysis down at the boozer.  Then again, why not watch the footy there and save the hassle of the missus microwaving the tea……………..sorted.

Exactly how can anyone afford to visit the local with such a regular frequency from late morning to late afternoon and again in the evening and consume beverages for most of the sunshine hours is beyond me.

I must be in the wrong job.

New Fuel Guage.

New Fuel guage to help you keep an eye on things.

The wrong stuff

At the CTCC we have some good ideas that reduce the chances of some things going wrong.

Take our vehicle fleet for example. We have an entirely one fuel fleet on this part of the organisation under the flag. Easier because we are relatively small and our imaginary fleet mileage is minuscule by comparison with other, much larger Constabularies. Our servicing and maintenance costs are low but we have part of the budget allocated towards a myriad of stickers that remind us of just about everything from how things work  to not leaving our dogs in the van when we go home. Some of us should have a sticker on their kennels to remind them to bring their dogs in with them to work. This might be useful. Worth a piss take but useful none the less.

We even have little stickers near the filler cap that remind us what type of fuel we need to put into our cars when we can be bothered to fill up and not leave them next to empty for the next driver. No problems there then. We would never put the wrong type of fuel into the vehicle because we know what type of fuel the vehicle needs.

The AA believes that at least 150,000 drivers put the wrong type of fuel into their car each year. That is an astonishing amount of drivers.

Some of these 150,000 drivers may work for the Avon and Somerset Constabulary as it appears that they too have a bit of a problem with the wrong fuel in the wrong vehicle, approximately 4 times a month. I can already see the need for some form of working party to do some research on this and see how the problem can be resolved as a target within someones strategic plan for something. Perhaps a new course might be under consideration.

Full serial banking attic.

We certainly have things right in this country with our constant support for those from around the globe wanting to come here because they have got nothing in their own countries and they see the clear and obvious benefits of getting housing, education, benefit and welfare support, medical treatment and a whole host of other support from the myriad of organisations that abound in the do-goody world of making sure that the UK comes a good second on the list of things to do today. Soon we will be full. Soon the services we have have taken for granted will not be able to cope. How reassuring.

I am further assured when I read how our legal processes are reducing crime and making the law abiding citizens feel safe and be safe to add to the way that crime is just not tolerated. How nice to see that finally, there is a custodial sentence for a serial offender. I feel sure that this will reassure the family of Tina Boucher, 38, a mother of four, who died instantly in a smash while two other passengers suffered horrendous injuries. Her six-year-old son Martin, who miraculously escaped nearly unharmed, sat in his booster seat sobbing ‘Mummy, Mummy’ as the driver and his friends jumped out of the other car and ran off.  Devon Pinnock, 21, was jailed for eight years after pleading guilty to causing death by dangerous driving while disqualified. Just think of the sentence if he had not pleaded guilty. He should never have been on the streets in the first place after it emerged he had a string of convictions for dangerous driving starting at the age of 14.

It also appears that the choice banking system of a few people is under the threat of collapse after it emerged that things might not have been done completely in accordance with this thing that is the law.

I would not like to have been the exhibits officer on that one. 

Next time you hear mice scratching about in the loft, it is worth having a bit of an open mind about what you just might encounter when you enter the loft hatch to have a bit of a look. You never know what you might find. Do you know what you have in your attic?