Three Force Alliance on course to Support Frontline Policing
Thursday, 02 June, 2011
As the broadest and most ambitious programme of its type in the country continues to develop, the policing alliance between Bedfordshire Police, Cambridgeshire Constabulary and Hertfordshire Constabulary has now been formalised in a Strategic Framework Agreement.
The Framework Agreement sees the formalisation of the joint working arrangements and includes details of the purpose and scope of the alliance, how it will be delivered and governed as well as outlining the financial arrangements between the three forces and authorities.
The alliance will bring savings of up to £20m per year across the three forces by the end of 2015. These savings will be crucial in helping each force to maintain delivery of local policing to communities in the face of the current financial challenges.
The programme team is actively pursuing a wide range of joint working options for the three forces across all areas of responsibility except those aspects of service delivery that are delivered locally, either singly or in partnership with other agencies. The objective is to build greater efficiency, effectiveness and resilience whilst protecting frontline services.
The three-force programme is building on the success of the Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire Joint Collaboration Programme which has, since 2007, developed 13 joint units. A joint Procurement Department was also recently established for all three forces.
Hertfordshire's Acting Chief Constable Heather Valentine said: "We have already proved in our work with Bedfordshire that collaboration brings more than just financial benefits, it brings resilience and the meshing together of innovation, best practice and new ideas for all forces involved."
David Lloyd, newly-appointed Chairman of Hertfordshire Police Authority, added: "We believe that our strategic alliance with Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire will enable us to find significant efficiencies providing the resources to deliver a good policing service to our communities.
"We ensure that every decision as to whether to establish a joint venture is considered very carefully. Detailed business cases are prepared for scrutiny by the Police Authorities and Senior Officers and extensive staff and stakeholder consultation is carried out. Only when we are satisfied that a joint venture represents the best way forward for the people of Hertfordshire do we give our approval."
