RSS Feed
July 10th, 2012 
FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda - Meanwhile West Midlands Police is cutting £126 million from its budget
- Local MPs say the cash could have been spent on officers
By
Martin Robinson
05:08 EST, 9 July 2012
|
10:01 EST, 9 July 2012
A police force cutting 620 jobs and shutting some of its stations ‘frittered away’ almost £500,000 on consultants paid to consider its ‘culture’ and ‘customer journey’.
West Midlands Police’s decision to splash out so much money despite chopping £126 million off its budget has been branded ‘astonishing’ by one Birmingham MP.
Labour’s Steve McCabe, who represents Selly Oak and sits on the Commons’ Home Affairs Select Committee, said: ‘The force is facing the biggest cuts in its history and this year is the worst year of all.
Anger: Selly Oak MP Steve McCabe, left, says the spending by West Midlands Police’s Chief Constable Chris Sims, right, is ‘wrong’
‘This is entirely the wrong time to be frittering away cash on consultants. How is all this money available for consultants when we are losing police officers hand over fist?
‘I am astonished they need to bring in outside people to tell them about their own culture.
‘It would be helpful if the force could provide a succinct briefing of what it is paying consultants to do.
‘The Select Committee took evidence on the issue of consultants at the force and the Chief Constable was not able to explain what they do.’
Details of the spending – a total of £485,000 – emerged in a report to the West Midlands Police Authority.
The document, called ‘external expertise to support key programmes, projects and initiatives’ sets out plans to spend the cash after the force conceded it could not do the work in-house.
Cuts: Prime Minister David Cameron with West Mids Chief Constable Chris Sims, right, following last year’s riots in Birmingham. The force is cutting millions from its budget
The projected costs include a £75,000 budget for a review of customer service and £80,000 for finding out more about the ‘customer journey’.
A sum of £70,000 was set aside to conduct a study on the culture of the force. The culture audit will include workshops with staff.
The report said the consultants would ‘discover details of the current culture at the force and analyse the valuable and distinctive features of the current culture for retention and development.’
In March, the force announced more than 300 jobs would be axed, including 85 police officer posts.
A first wave of cuts was made last year and led to the loss of 173 police officer posts and 217 civilian jobs as the organisation faces £126 million-worth of budget cuts.
Ian Edwards, chairman of the West Midlands Police Federation, which represents rank-and-file officers, said: ‘I would question spending this amount of money on consultants when we are losing so many police officers.
‘I have no idea what the studies are, but I will certainly be interested to find out.’
Another Birmingham Labour MP Khalid Mahmood, said: ‘It’s a lot of money that could be used to keep police officers in their posts.
‘I am bemused that we have to bring people in. Surely there are senior officers within the force that can write reports about the culture inside the force?’
West Midlands Police today defended the use of external consultants and claimed they actually helped save money and improve the ‘services’ the force can provide.
Deputy Chief Constable Dave Thompson said: ‘The details of proposed consultancy was contained in a report to West Midlands Police Authority that the force produced as part of its approach to openness and transparency.
‘We accept employing consultancy can be very controversial in a very difficult financial climate and ensure we make sure this information is available to the public.
‘The current requirement for savings is requiring the force to work very differently. In some areas we have the skills to make these changes ourselves and in other areas we need support.
‘Using specialist consultancy can be effective, provided we use their support to improve our skills to carry out this work ourselves in the future.
‘We have carried out major reviews using consultants that have directly helped achieve savings and have improved the services we provide.
‘Consultancy is always about supporting the ideas of our own people.
‘The proposed consultancy is not about an exotic experiment in culture. It is about understanding the experience of the public and improving how we deal with people by improving how we are working.
‘Very clear expectations are always set before money is spent on consultancy and these sums will be no different.’
-
It’s ok to stare: Top athletes pose totally nude for…
-
Outrage as U.S. magazine PhotoShops Kate Middleton to make…
-
Ex-NFL star’s sobbing wife sentenced to 41 months prison for…
-
Couple, 54 and 55, arrested and spent 23 hours in jail for…
-
Officer marches into woman’s home and yells at her to wake…
-
‘Vodka mom’ who suffocated three-week-old baby after rolling…
-
Heartbreaking photo shows the grief of a dog owner moments…
-
Ann who? No mention of ousted co-host Curry as Today marks…
-
Paint strippers: 200 exotic human artworks draw 30,000…
-
Security staff spot five-month-old BABY in baggage scanner…
-
Taliban commanders in love triangle with executed Afghan…
-
From a £350,000 terrace to a £3m piece of history… Shades…
Share this article:
Here’s what other readers have said. Why not add your thoughts,
or debate this issue live on our message boards.
The comments below have not been moderated.
-
Newest -
Oldest -
Best rated -
Worst rated
well the headline says it all really and the government wonder where are money goes…… on pathetic stupid things no wonder the country is in turmoil.
Report abuse
I think “customer journey” means, how much can we suck out of them for the infraction they caused, at the lowest cost to the dept. Basically, they’re accountants auditing the books.
Report abuse
Good, less speeding tickets the better, they are a pain in the rear!!!
Report abuse
The hiring of these expensive consultants indoctaes clearly that the senior officers in this force are not doing their job. They should be identifying the problems and the culture, and devising and implementing any remedial action. Instead they are having a free ride. Get Police Officers in who will do the job.
Report abuse
Another Bramshill desk jockey. West Midlands – aren’t they in some idiot scheme with Surrey Police to improve the profits of G4S (or whatever they are called)? What pathetic behaviour – customer journey. You couldn’t make it up. Kick out all the top police management and get REAL coppers in to do the job PROPERLY
Report abuse
Another Bramshill desk jockey. West Midlands – aren’t they in some idiot scheme with Surrey Police to improve the profits of G4S (or whatever they are called)? What pathetic behaviour – customer journey. You couldn’t make it up. Kick out all the top police management and get REAL coppers in to do the job PROPERLY
Report abuse
What a load of rubbish “Customer Journey” what on earth is that, is it the journey in the back of the van to the station when you are nicked. All you need to do is ask those at the front linbe what it is like what is going on etc….
The problem with that is they might get the answers thay don’t want so by doing this the questions are rigged in such away that the answers can be shown in a good light regardless of what you say.
Report abuse
has anybody asked has he got an interest in the company he hired to do this so called work sounds fishy to me
Report abuse
why has this man been allowed to do this he should be sacked for wasting taxpayers money and the people who have allowed this abuse
Report abuse
I wonder how much money was also wasted on Common Purpose training?
Report abuse
The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.
Posted in 
Tags: 
