Police chiefs decided this week not to go ahead with further work on controversial ideas to potentially contract out support services for the Beds, Herts and Cambridgeshire forces to G4S.
The decision not to press on with the work, involving the possible outsourcing of “back office functions”, was made by police and crime commissioners and chief constables at a meeting on Tuesday, January 29.
After “a rigorous review”, they agreed not to continue exploring Lincolnshire Police’s outsourcing system, with G4S as the supplier.
The Lincolnshire/G4S arrangement was set up to meet the specific needs of Lincolnshire Police.
But it also gave forces including Beds, Herts and Cambridgeshire the opportunity to contract with G4S without the extra cost and delay arising from a new procurement process.
Now Beds Police and Crime Commissioner Olly Martins has said that ways still have to be found to save money.
He emphasised the need to strengthen collaboration with the Herts and Cambridgeshire forces.
Beds Chief Constable Alf Hitchcock said: “Along with my chief constable colleagues in Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire and the three commissioners, we are continuing to explore other opportunities, whilst in Bedfordshire we are using the Option 10 and ‘Lean’ processes to achieve savings in-house and protect front-line policing.”