Corporate Development
The Corporate Development Department carries out a range of functions which combine within a framework to maintain the strategic direction of the Force, drive improvement, and support delivery of the Police Authority and Force visions and National Intelligence Model priorities. For ease of management functions are currently divided among three branches. In practice there is considerable cross-cutting work.
Strategic Planning
The main focus of the Strategic Planning Branch is business planning. Acting on behalf of the Police Authority and Chief Constable it devises plans that set out what Areas and Departments must do, and the indicators and standards by which performance will be measured. The strategic agenda is driven by the Corporate Plan and supported by a range of functions, including environmental scanning, healthchecks, efficiency planning, income generation, the Force Suggestion Scheme, and customer feedback. Operational priorities take into account National Policing Plan, Police Authority and Area priorities. The priorities of the Police Authority are informed by community consultation, including feedback from Direction and Control complaints; Area priorities derive from an analysis of local crime and disorder problems, including community intelligence. The branch is also responsible for the drafting and publication of the Police Authority Strategy and Annual Policing Plan (in liaison with the Police Authority) and the Joint Annual Report of the Authority and the Chief Constable.
Performance Branch
The Performance Branch has an external and an internal focus. Key stakeholders include the Police Authority, Force Executive, Area and Departmental Command Teams, Operational Officers, the Home Office, HMIC and external auditors. The main responsibilities are around the collection, collation and dissemination of statistics, management and performance information for the purpose of informing resource allocation and supporting the Performance Management Framework by enabling Force activities and results to be monitored, compared and reviewed. Additional activities include Customer Satisfaction Surveys, Activity Based Costing, ad hoc requests for information from internal and external sources, and HMIC Liaison. Internal & External Audit's are also the responsibility of the team. The audit process also assesses and drives compliance with national standards and identifies areas against which the force can continue to make improvements.
The range, depth and accessibility of performance information underpins an effective Performance Management Framework. As the information pack continues to grow new ways are being developed to help users navigate their way through the data and easily identify signs of improvement and deterioration. The information pack is accessible to all via the Force Intranet with colour-coded performance summaries at Force, Area, Sector, Section, and Beat level.
Business Change
The Business Change Branch is part of the force Corporate Development Department and includes the following functions:
- Business Change Team – covers management of the force change programme through the development and implementation of a number of business critical projects. Each project is designed to bring about more effective ways or working and improved service delivery across the force.
Business Change - Major Force Projects - Evaluation Team – is involved in the evaluation of projects and best value improvement plans to ensure the impact and effectiveness of change is being measured.
Press and Public Relations
The branch oversees, and is involved in, the provision of a full professional press and public relations service to all sections of the Durham Constabulary workforce and all sections of the media.
The professional team are responsible for writing and distributing press releases and statements, organising photo shoots, radio and television interviews and press conferences.
They also plan and produce the force newspaper "CopperPlate."
Visit the Press Office for details of the latest news, appeals and awards.
