This has been a difficult few weeks for GMP as a number of matters have come together to create some very negative publicity, which of course affects the morale of staff who care deeply about what they do.

There has been a lot of focus on our 90-day plan and our efforts to further improve performance. This continues to go well and we are improving in the areas of weakness we identified but this is not reflected in the Police Report Card reported on last week (Thursday 11 March).

We have continued the reduction in crime in all categories over the past months. Surveys show that confidence in policing locally is increasing but the changes we are introducing are aimed at making these improvements long term and sustainable.

The fact is, as I have said before, Greater Manchester has one of the highest rates of crime in the country. This is not surprising, cities will always have higher crime rates than rural areas. If you want to make national comparisons therefore and put them in a league table then we will not do well. On the other hand accident rates and road casualties tend to be lower in cities and higher in rural areas because of speed and the nature of the road system.

Of course league tables don't capture everything. Many neutral fans think that Arsenal play the highest quality football in the Premier League but this is not always reflected in the league table. GMP has put a huge amount of effort into dealing with gun crime and gang activity and we have seen very significant reductions in firearms discharges as a result. Tables that measure the total amount of crime will not reflect the distinctions in seriousness and public concern associated with certain offences.

Over the past few weeks the Force has focused its efforts into rounding up people who have been circulated as wanted and establishing their whereabouts. We have had good support from the media and the public in giving us information.

Some people might ask how the situation has come about where there are so many people wanted out and about. Some of this is the nature of those we deal with. Many of our offenders lead chaotic lifestyles without permanent addresses and move about a lot, particularly when they know they are wanted. They try to cover their tracks, some better than others, and are good at getting friends and family members to hide for them.

There is another issue however. And the work of policing is pretty relentless. No sooner is one investigation started than another one arrives. There is a lot of activity that is urgent and in fast time but lots that are in slow time and need a period of intelligence and evidence gathering to put a case together. There is a need in the Force to basically organise the workloads more efficiently so we complete investigations more quickly.

This is a big part of the changes we are introducing over the coming year and how we aim to achieve more on a tight budget. These include clear lines of accountability for our staff, tight control of workloads, prioritising the most important investigations and those with the best chance of success. We are drawing on lessons from other forces and from techniques used in business to reduce delays and bureaucracy. This is not terribly glamorous but it is crucial to us getting more officers out on the streets and fewer offenders being released on bail for want of further evidence.

I am pleased that the Police Authority has approved the budget for next year. This included an increase in council tax for policing of seven and a half per cent as part of a three-year deal we had with the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities. This is a good settlement, which recognises that the Force needs to maintain its performance against serious crime and counter terrorism but continue to develop neighbourhood policing. I am all too aware however that the increase in council tax is above the rate of inflation at a time when many are finding things hard. The public will rightly expect that we pursue every possibility to improve value for money. This is where reducing delays, bureaucracy and duplication comes in and ensuring that as much of the Force's budget as possible is spent on front line operational policing.