GLOUCESTERSHIRE Police has been rated as good in its annual Efficiency report Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS).

The Efficiency inspection forms part of the PEEL process, a series of annual inspections into police effectiveness, efficiency and legitimacy.

The report states: "Between 2010/11 and 2015/16, central government funding for the police service in England and Wales fell by £1.7 billion, or 19 percent in cash terms.

"Police forces met the required budget reductions until November 2015, when the government announced that overall police spending would be protected in real terms, to enable the police to continue to adapt to emerging crime threats while taking further steps to improve efficiency.

"While that was a more favourable funding settlement for policing than was expected, reductions in spending by other public services will still create additional pressure for police forces.

"Gloucestershire Constabulary has been assessed as good in respect of how efficient it is in keeping people safe and reducing crime.

"The constabulary has a comprehensive understanding of the demand for its services and is improving its understanding of the specific types of demand that are less likely to be reported.

"It has a good understanding of the cost and quality of current service levels and prioritises its resources to meet demand.

"The constabulary takes account of public expectations of the services it provides and has a good track record of meeting its required savings target; its plans are built on sound planning assumptions and are subject to regular scrutiny."

Deputy Chief Constable Jon Stratford welcomed the report’s findings: "We are pleased Her Majesty's Inspectors have recognised the hard work which has gone into ensuring the Constabulary is well prepared for the future.

“This judgement reflects and recognises our understanding of current demands and the fact that we deploy resources to where they are needed most.

"The report also acknowledges that we have made efforts to understand that specific types of demand may be under-reported, such as hate incidents or crimes committed online.

"We are all working hard to reach those communities and victims who may not have had confidence to report offences in the past and it is reassuring to see that we’re making progress and having impact.

“We are continuing to recruit officers and police staff and plan to train more volunteer police officers so our Special Constabulary can be 200 strong. This report shows we are aware of public expectation and well placed to assess future trends and respond to them.

"Overall, we are pleased with the findings and will continue to work hard to serve the people of Gloucestershire."