Hertfordshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, David Lloyd, has welcomed the announcement by the government that it plans to legislate to encourage greater co-operation between the emergency services and to allow PCCs to take responsibility for their local fire service.
 
Commissioner Lloyd is a member of the national Emergency Services Collaboration Working Group which has been established by the government.  He said, “All over the country there are examples of innovative work going on to help our emergency services work more closely together to improve the service to the public and reduce costs.  This legislation will give support and encouragement to that work and allow us to take it to the next level.  I welcome the fact that all emergency services will now have a duty to co-operate and that we will have the flexibility to develop appropriate local solutions and build on existing good practice.
 
“In Hertfordshire we have already laid the foundations of an excellent collaborative relationship between police and fire.  Hertfordshire’s Chief Fire Officer, Roy Wilsher, is also my Chief Executive as PCC which has facilitated cooperation locally.  I have now asked Roy to work with senior police colleagues to look at the new opportunities provided by the government announcement and make recommendations as to how we can make further progress.”