Are we the only volunteers?

It’s maybe that I pay more attention to police stories but I haven’t seen or heard any other public sector occupations saying their budgets are going to be slaughtered. Chief Constable Steve House has been explicit - £16m cut next year, £30m cut the year after.  Cut overtime and support staff by 25% over two years and a 20% cut to support services.

 I haven’t seen or heard anyone from the NHS saying how many frontline or backline staff they’re going to lose. I haven’t heard or seen anyone from Education saying how many teachers or special needs assistants are for the chop.  What about roads, libraries, social work and every other public sector spending department? Are the heads of these services buried in the sand or are they still arguing with those who hold the purse strings?

 As we’ve said before, the police have an excellent case for special treatment in funding.  Hopefully, Mr House will have explained that case to politicians and told them that rather than cutting the police budget, it should be maintained, even improved, during a recession. I’d like to hear from him and other chief officers what they are doing to protect the police budget.  Politicians have choices to make about where the spending cuts will be made and lobbying them in support of the special police case is surely a fundamental part of a chief constables role.

 When you read the details in the first paragraph above, it is perhaps difficult to take issue with what he has said. His focus on cutting backroom staff as opposed to officers will be supported by the vast majority in and out of the service. But where are the other volunteers for cuts?